Piotr Kulas - Benchmark Source

Piotr Kulas

Lead Analyst, Copper Supply

Piotr is a Principal Analyst at Benchmark, where he leads the development of copper supply and cost models. He holds an Earth Science degree from the University of Glasgow and a Mining Engineering degree from the Camborne School of Mines. Piotr began his career as an engineer in the copper mining industry, gaining practical experience that now informs his analytical approach to modelling mining supply. Before joining Benchmark, he worked at CRU, covering a range of commodities and further deepening his expertise across the resource sector.

Article | Aug 25, 2026 | 4 min read

Hichilema re-election expected to preserve Zambia's copper policy continuity

Hakainde Hichilema was declared president-elect of Zambia on 18 August. Hichilema was re-elected after securing nearly 3 million votes, more than 1.1 million votes ahead of his opponent, Brian Mundubile of the NRPUP, and comfortably above the 50% threshold required to avoid a run-off. "The result is expected to deliver policy and geopolitical continuity, including the continuation of the beneficiation agenda set out in Zambia's 2024 critical minerals strategy," said Benchmark's lead policy and geopolitical analyst Bryan Bille. Copper is a crucial export for Zambia, accounting for around three-quarters of the total value of the country’s exports. Mined production in 2026 is estimated at 901kt, a healthy growth of 11% over last year, as assessed by Benchmark’s Copper Service. The Zambian government is aiming to increase output to 3Mtpa by 2031.

Copper Zambia