A view of Barrick’s Super Pit in Zambia

Barrick is developing a Super Pit at their Lumwana copper mine in Zambia.

By Leon Louw founder of WhyAfrica and Endorphin Expeditions    

If ever you want a better view of developments in southern Africa, standing on the operator access platform of a Rigid Dump Truck (RDT) is not a bad way of doing it.

The other way, of course, is to follow WhyAfrica on their road trips through Africa.

Nevertheless, in the picture below  is Sam Baldwin, Feasibility Manager at Barrick’s Lumwana mine.

Sam is catching a glimpse of the Super Pit expansion from a totally different angle of what he is used to.

At dizzying heights

Sam is normally closer to the ground. He accesses ongoing projects that forms part of one of Africa’s largest mining expansions today.

WhyAfrica visited Lumwana last month as part of the 2026 WhyAfrica Business Trip to Zambia.

We joined Sam from dizzying heights moments after I took this photo.

A Super Pit naturally needs a Super Fleet of equipment and getting into the cabin of the latest edition to this Super Fleet, gives one a different perspective of the immensity of Barrick’s undertaking in this part of Africa.

Bigger trucks mean fewer trips to crusher

At Lumwana,the copper grade is not very high, and the mining team needs to move a lot of material to make money. So, the fleet needs to be big. The bigger the trucks the fewer trips to the crusher.

Although the “Super Pit” naturally gets all the media attention, Barrick’s new truck fleet is just as important.

Without it, the expansion at Lumwana would struggle to deliver on its targets.

Lumwana’s transformation underway

The USD2-billion Super Pit expansion will transform Lumwana into a Tier One, long life asset.

The project focuses on scaling both mining and processing capacity.

Plant throughput is set to double from roughly 27 million tonnes per year to more than 50 million tonnes.

That will increase annual copper production from about 120 000 tonnes to an average of 240 000 tonnes over the life of mine.

In addition to the Super Pit, Barrick is investing significantly in infrastructure at Lumwana, including a new airstrip, a mining training centre, and the development of the Manyama township and supplier park to support local industry.

WhyAfrica trip organised by Endorphin Expeditions

The 2026 WhyAfrica Business Trip to Zambia was organised and operated by WhyAfrica’s sister company tour operator Endorphin Expeditions.

Read more about Lumwana and First Qunatum Mineral’s real impact in Zambia in the next edition of the exclusive WhyAfrica magazine.

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A view of Barrick’s Super Pit in Zambia