First Quantum Minerals (FQM), through its subsidiary FQM Trident Limited, has boosted Zambia’s transport and logistics sector by awarding a major load-and-haul contract to Mineral Link Limited, a growing Zambian logistics and haulage company. The contract marks a significant shift in the mining industry, where heavy haul operations—traditionally managed internally or by foreign companies—are now being entrusted to locally owned logistics providers. Mineral Link, a Chingola-based family business, will now oversee large-scale movement of ore and materials within FQM’s operations, strengthening Zambia’s capacity in industrial transport and bulk haulage.
According to Thomas Lungu, Superintendent of Commercial Contracts at FQM Trident, the move is part of a broader strategy to build Zambian competitiveness in logistics and supply chain services. He said giving full operational control to a local contractor creates an employment pipeline, enhances technical skills, and keeps more value within the domestic transport industry. Mineral Link’s rapid growth demonstrates how local logistics companies can expand when given access to major contracts. Starting in 2022 with one machine and 25 employees, the company now employs over 200 people and is expected to add at least 150 more as operations expand.
Director of Operations Musamba Karabasis said the company’s success is driven by performance, reliability, and safety—key standards in the logistics sector. He noted that the partnership has helped Mineral Link transition from a small support service into a major player in Zambia’s industrial haulage space, proving that local contractors can deliver world-class transport solutions.
Mineral Link operates with a 100% Zambian workforce and invests heavily in skills development to strengthen the country’s logistics talent pool. Its partnerships with training institutions such as Mbola Trade School and Luanshya Business Trades College have helped develop skilled heavy-equipment operators, including graduates from its dump-truck apprenticeship programme who are now fully employed.
For workers, the opportunity has created real economic impact. Employees like Joseph Mbomena from Kisasa say the job has improved their income and provided new opportunities for their families, demonstrating the wider benefits of expanding local participation in high-value logistics operations.
FQM’s local sourcing approach is also giving a boost to the broader supply chain. Mineral Link has committed to purchasing equipment from local suppliers like Automotive Equipment, supporting Zambia’s vehicle, machinery, and parts distribution market. FQM believes this model will position Zambian logistics companies to compete not only locally but also in regional markets such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, where demand for haulage and materials handling services continues to grow.
As Zambia prepares to implement the Mining Local Content Statutory Instrument in January 2026, FQM says its partnership with Mineral Link shows what true local capacity building looks like—particularly within transport, logistics, and heavy-haul operations. The company emphasises that meaningful investment in local capability strengthens both the mining industry and the country’s logistics infrastructure, ultimately contributing to a more empowered national economy.
