Mining Companies in Zambia have said the proposed requirement for an import export permit and mineral analysis certificate for every congniment will cause problems in the industry.
Chamber of Mines, Zambia (CCZ) and the Association of Zambia Mineral Exploration Companies (AMEZ)complained that the current list of required conditions for the permit is extremely long and time comsuming.
The organizations stated that neither the geological survey nor other governmnet body has the proper international recognized procedures to produce accurate mineral analysis certificates in a timely fashion for specific volumes of samples.
Making submissions on the Mines and Mineral Development Bill bofore the Committee on Economic and Labour Affairs, AMEZ Secretary, Julian Green suggested for the issuance of an annual export permit .
He said authority should be issued following an inspection of the company ‘s operations by Geological Survey Officials.
And the mining companies have disagreed with government‘s proposal to give consent for a mining right over an area subject to another mining right and have since stated that the mining rights should be exclusive.
The companies said any excess land should be sorted out at the granting of the mining rights to avoid problems relating to mitigation of environmental liabilities and healthy and safety issues.
Mr. Green stated that the original mining right holder holds exclusive mineral rights for the commodities awarded and specified on the licence certificate for the duration of the licence.
He said any subsequent applicant should only be allowed to apply for commodities not stipulated on the original mining rights , subject to the condition that original licencee conforms in writing to the ministry that they are not interested in pursuing the discovery and extraction of the proposed new minerals.
He stated that several incidences of mining rights having been granted to another person over an area have brought a lot of problems.
He said the area in question should be clearly demarcated, surveyed and beaconed by the ministry of mines survey department and agreed by all parties prior to the issuance of the subsequent mining right .
“ We feel this is necessary since many licence conflicts have arisen through parties applying for a mining right in one area but then subsequently exploiting another area,’ he added.
He further stated that a company holding a mining right should not be forced to grant consent over a portion of their licence area if they can demonstrate to the mining advisory committee that another company is try to ‘ pick the eyes’ out of the original area.
We need exact strategic tests at some points in the mining and mineral procssing activities in Zambia to establish facts on mineral content of the ore being processed, the copper / mineral quality being exported, by whom, to whom, the value, date of export, date at which it was processed, the shipper, the source of the raw ore, the extractor of the ore, etc.
The current practice of Chinese buyers analysing the ore and telling the seller what the mineral content in the ore is wrong as the buyer will always understate the real value of the ore presented to him for sale by the saler.
Sad that we do not a thinking GRZ. They trust foreigners with their souls and balls so much that their ..
.. Own citizens are forced to be paid with nuts as the investors see the natives as monkeys.
We need some form of profit sharing, now that metal prices are buoyant. A formula should be worked out, whereby the state gets a share of the windfall from the high metal prices, the workers get a share, and the owner of the mines get the lion’s share. This profit sharing bonus can be named a “ONCE FOR ALL BONUS”, as they do on the sugar plantations of Trinidad and Guyana. Such a nomenclature, results in no bonus being paid should the metal price collapse. AFTER ALL, THE RESOURCES BELONG TO THE PEOPLE….THEY NEED A SHARE OF THE PROFIT?? Workers in Indonesia, Chile and Peru strike on a regular basis…to improve their conditions of service, AND THEY SUCCEED. VIVA BASHI MINE!!!!!!
Reply