Although no one was hurt in Wednesday's "operational incident," Codelco said it had launched an investigation to determine the cause.

Output fell 7.4% to 364,089 tons in the first half of 2022, data from the Zambia Chamber of Mines showed.

The PEA outlines primarily an underground block cave mining operation supplemented with a small open pit, and is planned to operate for 39 years with a peak mill feed production of 170,000 t/d.

Smelting activity was hit by weakness in China and the biggest mining region South America.

Chief executive Shaun Day said the London-listed company was reviewing the opportunity to “get the best of both worlds.”

Annual inflation, which hit 256.9% in July, has cast a shadow over President Emmerson Mnangagwa's bid to revitalise the economy.

Lundin said Monday it had halted development work near the site, but that the sinkhole didn’t affect the community, workers or its annual output guidance.