Mopani Copper Mines, Zambia's second biggest copper and cobalt producer, is on course to complete the expansion of its Mufulira copper smelter by May, officials at the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Development said Tuesday, quoting a report from the company.

Work at the company's Mufulira Copper Smelter and Acid plant is 80% complete, the officials said.

"We expect the smelter to be complete by May, according to the report from the company" an industry official said by telephone from Lusaka, the Zambian capital.

The Mufulira smelter is forecast to handle up to 650,000 metric tons of copper concentrates a year from the current 400,000 tons when expansion work is complete.

Officials said Mopani Copper Mines had failed to meet its 2005 copper production target mainly due to work disruptions emanating from flooding, mine accidents and erratic fuel supply.

Data from the ministry shows the company produced 135,000 tons of copper in 2005 compared with 161,000 tons in 2004. Output in 2005 was also short of an earlier forecast of 185,000 tons.

However, the company is forecast to produce up to 200,000 tons of copper this year following heavy investments by the company, the ministry said.

The company has invested up to $273 million in the upgrading of its smelter, construction of an acid plant and a leaching plant.

Copper smelting facilities in Zambia are currently overstreched following an investment boom since 2003 as the price of copper on the world market continues to rally.