L. Fituni, I. Abramova Resource Potential of Africa and Russia's ...

depletion. In South Africa, output increased at the Palabora Mine.
Production also increased in Zambia.
Africa’s refined copper production increased by 5% from 2007
to 2008. In 2008, Zambia accounted for 72% of African refined
copper production; South Africa, 17%; and Congo (Kinshasa), 8%
(table 8). In Congo (Kinshasa), the Ruashi solvent extractionelectrowinning
(SX/EW) plant opened in 2008 and production increased
at the Etoile, the Luilu, and the Luita SX/EW plants. Production
also increased in Zambia. Decreased output in South Africa
was mostly attributable to reduced output from the Palabora refinery.
Egypt was the only producer of secondary refined copper in
Africa; primary production accounted for most African production.
In 2008, Africa’s share of global copper consumption amounted
to about 2%. South Africa’s consumption decreased to 68,000 tons
in 2008 from 77,000 tons in 2007.
The production of refined copper is expected to increase by between
12% and 13% per year from 2008 to 2015. In Congo (Kinshasa),
new SX/EW plants could open at Tenke Fungurume in 2009
and at Kinsevere in early 2011. Increased production is also expected
from the Etoile, the Luilu, the Luita, and the Ruashi plants.
The first phase of expansion at Luita is likely to be completed in
2011, and the second phase, in 2015. Congo (Kinshasa), which produced
less than 1% of Africa’s refined copper in 2007, could account
for 52% of the continent’s refined copper output by 2015.
Russia contains 10% of the worlds’ copper reserves with most
reserves located in Siberia (70%) and the Urals (20%). The copper
industry of the former Soviet Union. comprises more than 25 mines,
18 concentrators and ten smelters and refineries. Most Russian copper
operations are located in the Urals, the exception being the Urup
enterprise in the Krasnodar region. In 2008, Russia was the world’s
sixth largest producer, with 55% of its production coming from
Norilsk Nickel, which is also a significant nickel and PGE producer.
Almost 98% of Russia’s copper production are exported. More than
50% of Russia’s copper reserves are undeveloped. New copper mine
developments such as the Aleksandrinskoye (reportedly contains 6.4
Mt of copper – zinc ore), Letnyeye and Safyanovskoye deposits are
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