22 December 2011
THE Government has directed Zhonghui mining group of China, the developer of the US$690 million Ichimpe Mine in Kalulushi to stop the project until an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) and mine plan are approved.
Mines and Natural Resources minister Wylbur Simuusa said in an interview yesterday in Kitwe that the previous government allowed the development of the mine without taking all preliminary issues into consideration.
” I have told the developer to stop immediately because the EIA and mine plan were not approved. We cannot allow the development minus appreciating its impact on the environment,” he said.
Zhonghui mining group of China started developing the mine without Zambia Environment Management Agency (ZEMA) approving the EIA and the mine plan.
According to Statutory Instrument Number 28 of 1997, a developer is not expected to implement a project for which a brief or an environmental impact statement has not been concluded.
In May this year, former president Rupiah Banda 1commissioned the construction of the mine which was expected to create more than 3,000 jobs.
The mine was expected to produce 35,000 tonnes of copper and 2,000 tonnes of cobalt per annum and it should have been operational in 2014.
Zhonghui was also present in North-Western Province where it was undertaking large-scale exploration for minerals.
Zhongui Mining Group was expected to attain the annual capacity of five million tonnes of ore production on completion of its second stage development at a cost of $700 million.
But Mr Simuusa said the Government appreciated any development as long as it was done within the confines of the law as Zambia was in need of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
Mr Simuusa, however, said the Government would not allow investors to skip certain procedures and would ensure all developers followed the law.
He said the Government was equally concerned over sustainable environmental management as it was cardinal to the development of the country.
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