HOWDEN PROJECTS: Howden to Cool Deep Zambian Mines

In Zambia, in the country’s abundant copper belt region – where one million metric tons are expected to be produced in 2025 – there is renewed optimism across an industry that has been rocky since the early 2000s. The economy is heavily reliant on copper exports and, in 2015, the price crumbled as demand from China waned, forcing many operations to slow. But in 2025, copper is very much back on the shopping list around the world as electrification and decarbonisation activities ramp up in a big way.

With renewed optimism, the copper belt companies are looking to the future and how they can produce effectively and sustainably for the longer term as copper is expected to be in demand with some projections even suggesting three million metric ton production stats by 2030.

A leader in the filed is Mopani Copper Mines (MCM), a Zambian business operating three mines in the north of the country, close to the border with the DRC. The company is aiming for production of 225,000 tons annually but has faced operational challenges as the mines go deeper.

In 2025, the company has initiated the Mopani Mine Cooling Project to ensure a safe and productive underground environment, where temperatures can reach way above 30 degrees Celsius. This major investments is one of the largest underground mine cooling projects ever conducted in Africa, and shows the ambition of Mopani’s owners, International Resource Holdings (IRH) – an Abu Dhabi based investment business – which completed the acquisition in March 2024.

To manage such a project, a globally renowned partner was sought, and Howden (a Chart Industries company) was awarded a contract to deliver a complete refrigeration and ventilation system to ensure employee welfare and operational excellence.

TURNKEY SUPPLY

Howden Projects Managing Director, Kudzai Nyangoni, tells Enterprise Africa that the company is excited about such challenges. “We build multimillion-dollar pieces of equipment – it’s hard for most to imagine… We have just commissioned a mine cooling plant at the world’s deepest mine in South Africa. We are producing 100 tonnes of ice which is piped four km down the shaft where it melts with the cold water used to chill gas which is used for cooling the working surfaces. That is a special technology… If you look at the specifications of the equipment, you might not believe the level of technicality involved.”

As a turnkey supplier, Howden takes the project through its entire lifecycle, utilising its significant skillset to drive a demanding schedule.

Howden and Chart Industries are globally recognised as leaders in the mine cooling space, with many projects completed successfully across various continents. The company aims to ‘unlock opportunities for the profitable recovery of valuable yet difficult-to-access resources in deep-level mines’ leveraging more than 100 years of ventilation experience. Experience across some of South Africa’s most complex mining operations also positions Howden as the perfect choice.

General Manager – Mine Cooling and Compressors at Howden, Theuns Wasserman, tells Enterprise Africa that the company will carry out extensive work in Zambia.

“It is one of the biggest mine cooling projects in Africa in recent years and there is around 38MW of refrigeration going in on site. We are very happy to be on that project, and we are working closely with a lot of international and local companies to deliver.

“The project will consist of three bulk air-cooling systems that cool the air that is pumped into the mine. As these mines go deeper, they need refrigeration to maintain a suitable working condition underground. There are three separate mines – Mufulira, Synclinorium and Mindola – and we were awarded the full turnkey project, all the way from civil and earthworks to mechanical and electrical installation, through to commissioning. It is roughly a two-year project where we have a staggered start where we will start at one mine and move across the other two.

“The design is done inhouse at Howden and the earthworks, civils, mechanical, electrical and commissioning are also managed by us. We aim to commission the first site by roughly this time next year.”

Howden has leaned into its supply chain to assist in this major project, striking a strong partnership with Airotech, a South African distributor of complex HVAC equipment. Airotech will supply six York chillers to be installed across the three sites, playing an integral part as the heart of the cooling system that provides cold air to the underground mine.

“They are an agent for the OEM and on the Mopani Mine Cooling Project they were successful in their bid to supplier complex chiller equipment. We are at the starting stage of this project and we are going through a process of contractor awards, but Airotech is in place has been very successful,” says Wasserman.

A mechanical engineer who has worked across refrigeration engineering roles for various local and international businesses, Wasserman has witnessed entire project lifecycles and reiterates Howden’s world-class expertise as it expands its reach.

“The centre of excellence for mine cooling globally sits in Johannesburg because of the history of the industry that started here in the 1960s. Howden has been active in this sector for the past 40 years, mainly from South Africa. We also have expertise in Australia where there is a big mining industry that is going deeper. South Africa has been a leader for a very long time in deep level mining, and the cooling industry has matured here.”

In Kitwe, at the Mopani Copper Mines HQ, the introduction of the new cooling system is seen as essential in long-term strategy, aiming to provide some relief for those working underground in challenging conditions. “Towards the end of next year, you will start receiving refrigerated air, which will make the working conditions much better,” said MCM Director of Operations for IRH, Gareth Taylor. 

INTENTIONAL EXPANSION

Howden, through its projects division, is well positioned for further growth, and is busy seeking new opportunities across Africa and the Middle East with the demand for mining critical minerals expected to boom in the next two decades. UN Trade & Development projections show that demand for lithium, nickel, cobalt and copper could grow by 1500% by 2050.

“There are various business units providing technologies, and since 2023 we have been able to identify new markets where we are able to supply a combination of Howden legacy products along with new Chart technologies. That is a vital synergy that has come from the acquisition,” says Nyangoni.

“We are involved in the full cycle – from feasibility where we work with a customer to develop a solution, all the way through the sales cycle to project execution, commissioning, and after market support,” reminds Wasserman.

With Howden promising a special project in Zambia, the future looks bright for MCM just at the right time. As the global requirement for electrification and decarbonisation accelerates, so must the rate at which copper is supplied to manufacturers. African minerals, produced with African expertise, and exported from Africa to the world are critical. And that will not change.