Midnight Sun pushes ahead with major copper exploration in Zambia

Midnight Sun Mining is pushing ahead with an ambitious expansion of its copper exploration efforts in Zambia, signaling growing confidence in the potential of its Dumbwa project. The company is preparing to intensify drilling activities by adding a sixth drill rig early next year, a move that underscores its belief that Dumbwa could represent a significant new copper discovery. Situated in one of the world’s most prolific copper-producing regions, the project benefits from both favorable geology and proximity to several established, tier-one mining operations.

The Dumbwa copper target is strategically located approximately six kilometers from First Quantum Minerals flagship Kansanshi Mine, one of the largest copper mines in Africa. This close proximity strengthens the case for Dumbwa’s prospectivity, as large copper deposits in the region often occur in clusters along the same geological trends. Being positioned within Zambia’s Copperbelt places the project in a globally important mining district that has produced copper for decades and continues to attract substantial international investment.

Beyond Kansanshi, the Dumbwa project sits near several other world-class operations. These include Barrick Mining Lumwana Mine, a major open-pit copper mine, and the renowned Kamoa-Kakula complex operated by Ivanhoe Mines just across the border in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The presence of these large-scale operations highlights the exceptional endowment of the region and provides a strong benchmark for what a successful discovery at Dumbwa could become.

Geologically, Midnight Sun has described Dumbwa as being identical to Lumwana, a comparison that carries considerable weight within the mining industry. Similar host rocks, mineralization styles, and structural controls suggest that Dumbwa may have the capacity to support a deposit of comparable scale. According to the company, drilling to date has already confirmed that a genuine discovery has been made, shifting the focus from initial exploration to growth drilling aimed at defining size, continuity, and economic potential.

As Midnight Sun prepares to enter what it describes as the most exciting phase of growth exploration, the addition of a sixth drill rig is expected to accelerate results and improve geological understanding of the system. Continued drilling will concentrate on demonstrating the scale of mineralization and testing whether Dumbwa can emerge as the next major copper deposit in the heart of Zambia’s Copperbelt.

Looking ahead, the advancement of the Dumbwa project could have meaningful implications for Zambia’s mining sector and the broader African copper industry. A new large-scale copper discovery would strengthen Zambia’s position as a key global supplier at a time when demand for copper is rising due to electrification, renewable energy, and electric vehicles. For Africa, successful development at Dumbwa could attract further exploration investment, support job creation, and contribute to long-term economic growth anchored in responsibly developed mineral resources.

Mini-Glossary

• Copperbelt: A mineral-rich region in central Africa, mainly in Zambia and the DRC, known for hosting large copper and cobalt deposits.
• Drill rig: A machine used to drill holes into the ground to extract geological samples for exploration and evaluation.
• Tier-one mining operation: A large, long-life, low-cost mine with significant annual production.
• Growth exploration: An advanced exploration stage focused on expanding and defining the size of an existing mineral discovery.
• Open-pit mine: A surface mining method used to extract minerals close to the Earth’s surface.

Editor: Vural Burç ÇAKIR