Firering Strategic Minerals is moving quickly to scale its Limeco lime products business in Zambia, positioning the company closer to direct demand from the Central African Copperbelt.
The company now owns 45% of Limeco, a Zambian operation based near Lusaka with access to a large limestone deposit and existing processing infrastructure. Limeco produces quicklime, hydrated lime and aggregates for use in copper processing, water treatment, agriculture and construction.
Copper producers require quicklime in processing and refining, but many still rely on imports from South Africa. Limeco’s expansion is designed to address that supply gap by increasing local production capacity and improving availability for regional customers.
Production began in early 2025 and the ramp-up is now under way. Kiln 1 and Kiln 2 have been commissioned, with Kiln 2 averaging about 85 tonnes per day since late April. Firering expects Kiln 3 to be commissioned by mid-July, with Kiln 4 planned for the fourth quarter of 2026. The longer-term target is to reach daily quicklime capacity of 600 to 800 tonnes across eight kilns, compared with the initial 15,000 tonnes per year.
The company also plans to add a high-purity calcium carbonate circuit. This could broaden Limeco’s product range and open additional markets beyond quicklime, while using the same limestone resource base. The result would be a more diversified industrial minerals platform with exposure to mining, construction, agriculture and water treatment.
Limeco has secured a two-year offtake agreement with a major Zambian copper producer, which supports demand visibility as production increases. The business is still pre-profitability and will need additional funding, so execution, commissioning and capital discipline remain important issues.
Firering Strategic Minerals plc (LON:FRG) is an emerging quicklime producer and critical minerals explorer, with operations in Zambia and West Africa.
