Chinese-owned miner MMG has confirmed JCHX Mining as its underground mining contractor at Khoemacau in Botswana.
Beijing-based JCHX last month said it had secured a five-year, US$805 million contract with MMG and now the miner has publicly noted the engagement starting July 1, 2025.
MMG said a “competitive market process” led to its decision on JCHX, which won a circa-$1 billion underground mining contract at the high-profile Kamoa-Kakula copper operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo last December.
Shanghai Stock Exchange-listed JCHX has a current market value of about $3.4 billion and generated turnover of $1.4 billion in 2024.
“A global mining contractor with nearly 30 years of experience across Africa, Asia and Europe, JCHX brings deep technical capability and a strong safety culture,” MMG said.
“Together, MMG and JCHX are committed to retaining Khoemacau’s local workforce and advancing training and capacity-building programs that benefit Botswana’s communities.”
Hong Kong-listed MMG bought Khoemacau for $1.875 billion early in 2024 and then sold 45% to Chinese state-owned investment group, CNIC Corporation, for $500 million in May last year.
“Since acquiring KCM in March 2024 MMG has developed a growth strategy targeting an expansion to 130,000 tonnes of copper in copper concentrate annually,” the company said.
“The plan is to increase annual production to 60,000t over the next two years, utilising the existing 3.65 million tonnes per annum process plant and focusing on accessing the higher-grade areas of the mine through increased mining fronts and operational flexibility. The mine’s capacity will be further increased to 130,000t of copper in copper concentrate annually by building a new 4.5Mtpa process plant, increasing Zone 5 output, and developing the expansion deposits.”
First concentrate from the expansion project is slated for 2028.
JCHX said last month its Zone 5 mining contract was its first in Botswana.
“JCHX will … work with KCM to jointly build the project into a benchmark one in southern Africa,” it said.
The company said more than 70% of its 2024 revenue was generated outside China.
