Metso has been awarded a contract by Barrick Gold for the supply of key process equipment at the Lumwana copper project in Zambia.

The order, valued at around €70m ($78.12m), will be included in the minerals segment's third-quarter 2024 order intake.

Under the contract, Metso will offer a comprehensive suite of equipment including systems for grinding, flotation, thickening, feeding and filtration.

Metso deputy CEO and minerals business area president Markku Teräsvasara said: “We are honoured to have been selected by Barrick as the strategic partner for this project.

“The copper concentrate production process in Lumwana has been designed with sustainability and production efficiency in mind, with most of the equipment selected from our Planet Positive offering.”

The Lumwana mine is expected to meet the surging demand for copper essential for the energy transition.

This expansion is said to be pivotal for the rejuvenation of Zambia's copper sector and is also expected to bolster the local economy.

Once completed, the Lumwana project is expected to be among the world's leading copper mines.

Earlier this year, Barrick Gold said it accelerated the Super Pit expansion project at its Lumwana copper mine, with first production expected in 2028.

The $2bn (C$2.7bn) project is expected to produce around 240,000 tonnes of copper annually over a life of more than 30 years.

Construction work on the project is due to commence towards the end of this year.

The Lumwana mine, once-underperforming, has gone through restructuring and re-engineering since the company refocused its strategy in 2019.