FQM Boosts Local Ownership with New Mineral Link Partnership
First Quantum Minerals (FQM), through its subsidiary FQM Trident Limited, has reaffirmed its commitment to Zambia’s socio economic development by expanding opportunities for local businesses and transferring key operational responsibilities to the Zambian owned contractor Mineral Link Limited.
The partnership marks a major shift in the mining sector’s local content approach, moving from basic service provision to fully fledged contract mining. Mineral Link, a second generation family business established in Chingola, will now take over the enterprise load and haul operations, a role previously handled internally by FQM.
According to FQM Trident Limited’s Superintendent of Commercial Contracts, Thomas Lungu, the local content strategy is grounded in supporting Zambian ownership and skills.
“Local content at FQM Trident means sourcing goods and services within the Zambian supply chain,” he said. “By giving full operational responsibility to a local contractor without reducing scope, we are creating an employment pipeline for the community and building long term capacity.”
Mineral Link’s evolution from a single dozer support provider in 2022 to a principal contractor signals the potential of Zambian enterprises when adequately supported. The company, which began with about 25 employees, now has more than 200 staff and is preparing to add a further 150 as new contracts commence.
Director of Operations Musamba Karabasis said the growth was driven by performance, safety and the confidence placed in them by FQM. “FQM Trident helped us grow from a small support provider to a contractor entrusted with major operations,” he said. “We are proving that Zambians can deliver at world class standard.”
Mineral Link runs a fully Zambian workforce, challenging industry norms that previously favoured expatriates for critical management roles. Through formal partnerships with training institutions including Mbola Trade School and Luanshya Business Trades College, the company is developing a skilled local labour pool.
An apprenticeship scheme for Articulated Dump Truck operators has already produced graduates who have secured permanent employment.
For residents like Joseph Mbomena of Kisasa, now an ADT operator at Mineral Link, the partnership has been life changing. “The change in my income has transformed my family’s life,” he said. “My children are now in a better school and we are seeing real improvements in our community.”
FQM’s approach aims to create a multiplier effect across the national economy by prioritising Zambian suppliers. Mineral Link has committed to procuring equipment through local firms such as Automotive Equipment, ensuring that the value chain remains anchored within Zambia.
This model, Mr Lungu said, positions Zambian contractors to compete for regional opportunities, including those emerging in the Democratic Republic of Congo. “Capable local vendors gain choices and markets beyond the mine,” he added.
FQM Trident maintains that mining and community development are closely linked. By building strong local businesses and investing in skills, the goal is to leave behind a resilient and industrialised local economy long after mineral extraction ends.
As Zambia prepares to implement the Mining Local Content Statutory Instrument in January 2026, FQM says its partnership with Mineral Link demonstrates what genuine investment in local capacity can achieve.
“When international companies invest meaningfully in local capability, the outcome is not just a contract completed. It is a nation empowered,” the company said.
