Konkola Copper Mines (KCM), Zambia's largest copper producer plans to start purchasing copper concentrate from the Frontier Mine in the DRC.

KCM  said it was in talks with owners of Frontier mine, and also the Chibuluma and Kansanshi mines in Zambia to buy concentrate to process at the new Nchanga copper smelter, which has an annual capacity of 300,000 tonnes.

The mining firm, majority owned by London-listed Vedanta Resources is about to sign a deal to purchase all of Chibuluma's copper concentrate.

Purchasing concentrates from other mines is one of many projects that KCM plans to raise copper output to 500,000 tonnes in 2010 from projected production of 200,000 in 2008.

KCM also operates the Konkola and Nchanga open pit mines, Nkana smelter and the satellite Fitwaola mine.

Zambia is Africa's largest copper producer, and the sector is the country’s economic backbone.