Zambia Copper Mines Hit by State Utility’s Warning of Power Cuts

Zambia’s state power utility has served notices of force majeure on supply of electricity to some mines, according to an industry association, threatening additional pressure on a copper market going through an unprecedented squeeze.

The Chamber of Mines in Africa’s second largest copper producer said Wednesday that power utility ZESCO Ltd has notified several of the organization’s members that it can’t fully meet its supply commitments. The statement didn’t say which projects are impacted.

The market for semi-processed copper ore, known as concentrates, has never been as tight as now, Bloomberg reported last week citing veteran traders. The pressure has ...