The Australian mining and exploration company -Zambezi Resources Ltd (ASX:ZRL) has announced that contrary to media reports there is no High Court injunction to halt it’s works of constructing an open pit mine in the Lower Zambezi National park.This is contained in a press statement released to Lusakatimes.
Mr.Frank Vanspeybroeck the Managing Director Zambezi Resources Limited also said he is pleased to announce that the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (“ZEMA”) has issued it with a formal approval letter confirming the granting of the Environmental Impact Study (“EIS”) for the Company’s 100% owned Kangaluwi Copper Project in Zambia.
This follows approval for the project from the Zambia Minister of Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection (refer ASX announcement dated 20 January 2014.
This is a major milestone for the development of the Company’s flagship project 180km from the capital city of Lusaka.
ZR Chairman Mr Vilensky complimented the Ministry of Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection for overturning the ZEMA rejection of the company’s Environmental Impact Study (EIS) and said: “The Zambian government has allowed the Kangaluwi Copper Project to proceed within the national park as part of its revised Mineral Resources Development Policy, which seeks to strike a fair balance between the benefits of mining and the protection of the environment and wildlife conservation,provided its policies and laws are respected and adhered to and such investments will create employment opportunities for ordinary Zambians.”
Last year the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) rejected a proposal by Australia’s Zambezi Resources to develop a US$494-million opencast copper mine in lower Zambezi national park because of environmental concerns.At the time ZEMA public Relations officer Irene Chipili said the Environmental Impact Assessment Statement did not address several issues which included the copper leach process whose affluence could have affected with the ecosystem.
Below are the press statements in full
1.Zambia Environmental Management Agency issues formal approval letter for Kangaluwi Copper Project, Zambia
Zambezi Resources Ltd (ASX:ZRL) (“Zambezi” or “the Company”) is pleased to announce that the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (“ZEMA”) has issued it with a formal approval letter confirming the granting of the Environmental Impact Study (“EIS”) for the Company’s 100% owned Kangaluwi Copper Project in Zambia. This follows approval for the project from the Zambia Minister of
Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection (refer ASX announcement dated 20 January 2014).
Zambezi is aware of and has listened carefully to the concerns raised by ZEMA about the project, and has worked diligently over more than 12 months to address these issues in order to minimise the environmental impact of the mine.
The construction and development of the mine is subject to a range of conditions issued by ZEMA to ensure total compliance with the objectives of the Environment Management Act of 2011 which will be monitored and supervised by ZEMA. Zambezi does not believe any of these to be out of step with standard mining practices and confirms its willingness to adhere to these conditions.
Mr Vilensky complimented the Ministry of Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection for overturning the ZEMA rejection of the company’s Environmental Impact Study (EIS) and said: “The Zambian government has allowed the Kangaluwi Copper Project to proceed within the national park as part of its revised Mineral Resources Development Policy, which seeks to strike a fair balance
between the benefits of mining and the protection of the environment and wildlife conservation,provided its policies and laws are respected and adhered to and such investments will create employment opportunities for ordinary Zambians.”
Frank Vanspeybroeck
Managing Director
Zambezi Resources Limited
Tel: +61 8 6555 1879
Email: [email protected]
2.Zambezi Resources promises world’d Greenest Copper mine
Zambezi Resources Limited (ASX: ZRL) (“the Company”) would like to advise shareholders and other interested parties that it has issued a media release overnight titled “ZAMBEZI RESOURCES PROMISES WORLD’S GREENEST COPPER MINE”.
A full copy of this media release, which was sent primarily to Zambia focused media, is attached.
The purpose of this media release is confirm the Company’s commitment to working with local communities and environmentalists to ensure the conservation of the Lower Zambezi National Park and development of the “cleanest, greenest and safest copper mine ever built”.
The media release also clearly clarifies/dispels a number of factual inaccuracies the Company is aware have been distributed by opponents to the project.
While the bulk of the factual inaccuracies have been dealt with within the attached media release the Company would like to clarify a matter that has come to its intention, which is clearly incorrect and in need of urgent clarification.
It was reported on a small number of websites that an injunction was granted in Zambia on Friday 31 January 2014, effectively halting any work at site. The Company has extensively investigated this matter and is pleased to advise that there is nothing to substantiate the claim that an injunction was granted.
While disappointed with the significant levels of factual inaccuracies being distributed by opponents to the project the Company remains steadfast in its commitment to the development of its world class project in Zambia, in keeping with community expectations and to the benefit of all stakeholders.
Frank Vanspeybroeck
Managing Director
Zambezi Resources Limited
Tel: +61 8 6555 1879
Email: [email protected]
Zambian leaders can be so daft .How do you allow an international company that is 100% owned to dig a big hole in our game park! The CEO sitting somewhere in australia even has the audacity to tell us how pleased he is! Zambezi Resources won’t even be paying tax as they are registered in Bermuda.
This is going to be a disaster of great magnititude!
Only in Zambia! !
This decision was made without consultation, evaluation and assessment. Such kind of verdict must take time to cover all environmental aspects. It’s all about Auto-Dictatorial way of running a nation as far as PF is concerned.
The irony is that, this company would NOT even think about opening a mine an area designated as a national park, being they would receive fierce opposition in Australian.
Again, this goes back to getting kick-backs and the black hole PF have left in the Government Exchequer, the By-Elections, Misappropriating and list goes on.
Correction from @1.3
This decision was made without consultation, evaluation and assessment. Such kind of verdict must take time to cover all environmental aspects. It’s all about Auto-Dictatorial way of running a nation as far as PF is concerned.
The irony is that, this company would NOT even think about opening a mine in an area designated as a national park in their own country (Australia), being they would receive fierce opposition.
Again, this goes back to getting kick-backs and the black hole PF have left in the Government Exchequer, the By-Elections, Misappropriating and list goes on.
the principle of more money in the pockets is really working at the high level of our leaders hence these decisions. The sad part is that the same ministers a few years from now will change parties and will be condemning this very decision, hence as general public we must resist this bad decision.
That’s why as Zambians we should stop misdirecting our energies fighting unworthy causes. We should have been fighting to own maybe 50% of the mine since the copper is our in the first place except we are unable to dig it ourselves. Those who were making noise about the environment should lead by example by practicing open defecation since their toilet bowl, hand wash basin, taps and sewer pipes are made of materials mined from somewhere. Toilet paper is also made from trees!
Corruption at its best!
You Evil bast.ards!! This is not the end of this. You will burn in hell with the Zambians you are doing this with!! Corrupt and wicked!!
If it was GBM or Kavidele, they could not have allowed them to enrich their families and employ more Zambians. But an Australian family is allowed.
Even though, I am for development of cities, compared to preserving hyena’s dens in Zambezi, am only against the deal offered to foreigners, when guys like Konga, HH, Nsanda and me can put money together and dig that copper.
@Nostra now you are talking..as Zambians why cant we come together with our resources and start a mining company…we could say 50% owned by the founders and the other 50% by grz or other people willing to buy shares… that’s the only way to develop…I wonder why no one has come up with this idea.
Any company worth its salt should be careful in doing business with PF. This project will not go anywhere once PF is out of office. the mine will be closed as returned to its natural habitat of a game park or reserve. People in the province and ZEMA do not want this mine in a game park. If the company goes ahead it will be going against the people. Hasnt the company ever heard of environmental impact assessment? Burying its head in the sand will not help the company. PF is here today but it wont be there for ever. Project is not needed
Proof enough that bribery works.
agree with you
If ZEMA has indeed issued the mine an EIA, then Prof Yamba, ZEMA Chairman should resign
One wonders what purpose ZEMA serves if the government can meddle and do as they please without listening to the concerns surrounding the impact on the environment. Good leadership listens to people’s concerns, and on matters surrounding the environment it is common sense!
Yes, Sata should just wake up one day and say ZEMA is abolished “with immediate effect”.
Why should the Zambian taxpayer spend so much money on a structure that is toothless and cannot even do the job it was created for?
I have this pic as my Desktop Background out here in Europe – absolutely heavenly! What do my colleagues say to it – “That’s in YOUR Country? Waaaal, and you also have the Vic Falls? Anyway “the thundering smoke”( as they put it !) sounds better…and that’s where the Aussies want to put up a mine?…”.
IF WE DON’T BLOCK THIS THEN ZAMBIA IS FINALLY DOWN THE TUBE…that’s it, half the Diaspora ain’t coming back !
Yaaa that is beatiful man!! Looks like ku… let me not say it, you Zambians like to say “Kulibwenesha”.
Just sell the whole damn country kanshi!
SOLD!!!
“The survival of our wildlife is a matter of grave concern to all of us in Africa. These wild creatures amid the wild places they inhabit are not only important as a source of wonder and inspiration, but are an integral part of our natural resources and our future livelihood and well being.
In accepting the trusteeship of our wildlife we solemnly declare that we will do everything in our power to make sure that our children’s grand-children will be able to enjoy this rich and precious inheritance.
The conservation of wildlife and wild places calls for specialist knowledge, trained manpower and money, and we look to other nations to co-operate with us in this important task – the
[Cont’d]
success or failure of which not only affects the continent of Africa but the rest of the world as well.”
Julius K. Nyerere, Arusha Manifesto, 1961
I am one of the few Zambians that signed the petition on change.org and got an email of the great news that an injunction had been successfully filed. I got this email on Monday 3rd February, and it stated that the injunction had been filed on Friday January 31st. I.P.A Manning I got this email from you via change.org, can you explain what had changed between Monday and Today. #countryforsale
Same here! ????
Wake up you F00LS!
Satas auntie, the “acting” Chief Justice has her instructions. NO injunction will be issued.
@Ben grow up!! Who are you calling fools? Me and Ulemona atleast took some action, what did you do? Apart from insulting people who are action oriented and did something for their country. Go to hell!!
@ My Opinion You should really wake up! You have not taken the time, or made the effort, to correctly identify the problem, and are therefore wasting your time barking up the wrong tree!
It is the legal system in Zambia today is dysfunctional due to interference and corruption originating from State House. THAT is where the problem is, and THAT is what needs to be corrected.
Treat the DISEASE, not the symptoms!
“Leadership is a privilege to better the lives of others. It is not an opportunity to satisfy personal greed”- a quote for PF to live by from Mwai Kibaki
This destruction of our valuable natural habitat is all about greed and bad leadership.
And parliament is watching all this crap happening?? Dull leaders indeed. Thats why i left that country. Did not want to associate with so much dull people.
They are not Dull the issue is in the way they think and their attitude towards things.
E.g a very intelligent person who believes in witchcraft will pay a traditional doctor millions to protect his house and possessions. So in this case his superstitions override his intelligence. Same thinking issue with most Africans they look at themselves and always fail to see the big picture. The way they have been brought up to think overrides there intelligence. And it will take a century to change this kind of thinking.
This is very sad and dissapointing. Is there anything that we can be proud of? can we be true to ourselves and those in decision making positions specifically on this issue will have a lot to answer for.
1) This company is verbally through a spokes person/press aid saying that they will implement “Green” mining technologies, hmm & which technology is that? and why is this information not being given to the people? To me after my research just sounds like the $400mn way of saying we are going to take what we find and leave you with a check for the hurt we are going to leave behind.
http://www.google.com/search?q=green+mining&client=safari&rls=en&prmd=ivns&ei=7tzyUpvCG-7KsQTs84CIDg&start=10&sa=N
2)The plight of the people shall prevail and those profiting shall pay.
Zambia’s…
This is a mistake on the part of government and oh God how do some of the deals come about? There needs to be transparency. If the argument is really job creation why just in the Zambezi valley, if it is copper they are after we have deposits all over Zambia, from Mumbwa to Luapula we have rich deposits of Copper unless these guys are looking for something else??? I smell a rat and our ministers know what is going on but have kept silent. The area in the lower Zambezi specifically where the mine will be situated is also said to be rich in Uranium. If Uranium mining starts be it tommorrow or 50 years from now then people our wild life will terribly suffer. Ba President or Chella if you read this please watch your ministers they will bring the government crashing down, they are shortsighted.
I too signed the Change.org petition, how many sigs were raised? LT and ZWD MUST dig for that damn EIS and publish it in its entirety so we can see who has NOT done his work! 2016 dump the whole lumpenpack in the bloody pit and settle fenced-in hyaena’s around them and forget ! bstrds!
Look for it yourself. ZEMA is supposed to publish EIAs for public comment on its website.
http://www.zema.org.zm/index.php/eia-reports
But even in ZEMA there are greedy consultants that produce “good” EIAs for a fee!
The elephants and other wild animals will eventually migrate into Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
Its also kind of tricky to strike some balance between development and environment.But we have experts (ZEMA in this case and others) to provide advise.
Why not make the EIA and EIS reports accessible to the public?
here you can find the EIS
http://captainndobo.webege.com/
Continued…
I’m one person that is NOT blindly critical of the government because there are some good things they have done but the way this deal was done is very wrong, immoral and people need to search their souls, first of all that condescending white vice President of ours. At times he speaks as if he is talking to little children, who does he think he is, a wise muzungo missionary that has come to enlighten us the dulll Africans? Here I make reference to his response when asked about the deal on tv in the presence of the Australian govt official where he clearly said the mine has not been given the go ahead and that consultations were still happening. People need to be fired please..
BROWN ENVELOPE IS THE WAY FORWARD.
FIGHT FOR CORRUPTION IS JUST A HIDE OUT.
RIVERS WILL BE POLUTED WITH COPPER CONCETRATES; ANIMALS WILL HAVE NO WHERE TO DRINK WATER; THERE WILL BE NOISE POLUTION FOR ANIMALS, FISH WILL DIE BECOZ OF WATER POLUTION.
I FOR ONE WILL NOT BE KEEPING QUIET WHILE OUR NATION / ECO SYSTEM IS RAPED & PILLAGED FOR FOREIGN PROFIT!
We all know these Judas Iscariot- Devil P.F officials DON’T Care about our environment, or health implications this Genocidal Mine will have on our Citizens, or else the would stopped Glencore polluting & maiming Zambians on the copperbelt. What matters is their Offshore accounts, if theyre even wise enough to demand that much
Most enlightened Zambians are aware these foreign Infestors would NOT do this in their own Nations, as they value their Citizens lives, but Black lives are dispensable & seen as cheap & game for profit .
FOR EVIL TO PREVAIL, ALL PEOPLE NEED TO DO IS KEEP QUIET ON SEEING INJUSTICE.
This Mine will Ruin Zambia despite Sugar Coated Promises. Shame!
Why are my comments not processed L.T??
Have u got interests in this mine?
If this proposed undertaking takes off, all those involved must be prepared to answer serious questions should there be change of guard in Zambia in future no matter how long this will take.
NEXT…
THE LAW MUST BE IN OUR HANDS TO TEACH THE INVESTOR AND MINISTER SHARE
HOLDER A LESSON.
NOTHING ELSE WILL WORK.
I FOR ONE WON’T BE KEEPING QUIET WHILE OUR NATION / ECO SYSTEM IS RAPED & PILLAGED FOR FOREIGN PROFIT
We all know, these Judas Iscariot – Devil PF officials, Don’t care about our Eco system or negative effects this Mine will have on the Citizens, otherwise they would have sorted out Glencore polluting & maiming Zambians on the copperbelt.
What matters is their 30 Pieces of Silver -(Offshore Accounts)
These Foreign firms never do this in their own countries, as they value their citizens, but unfortunately African lives are cheap & game for Profit. Stop this Genocidal Mine, as despite promises of ( Clean Ethical Mining), this is another 90 Day empty promise.
FOR EVIL TO PREVAIL, ALL PEOPLE NEED TO DO IS KEEP QUIET.
When our fears are realised @ least I can say I spoke out
PF listen for once! Don’t do this! The economic gains from this are not worthy the risk and environmental impact the open pit mine will create. The damage will be permanent and irreversible. Preserve this natural habitat and beautiful heritage. You People in PF have you head of sustainable development? That our actions now should not be selfish as to deprive future generations of the same resources that we enjoy now? This project does not come close to the benchmarks of sustainable development. It will only benefit a small clique in current regime in the shortest term and create huge burdens for future generations in the long term.
That’s the problem with LT bloggers. You just talk and insult each other and the government, but you don’t do nothing. You should petition your government, Minister, MP etc! Don’t just cry about issues, do something! YOU elected these dunderheads into office, YOU can remove them, even before election time. Petition them, them go to court. Know your rights!
Cumbu Munshololwa Kandolo
Let us get militant and kill these stupit whites one by one . Learn from from Nigeria oil region
This is getting monotonous suffice to say Zambia is a elephant country in terms of copper. Without BSA/AngloAmerican and later ZCCM mines, and KK’s free education from the copper proceeds, a lot, repeat, a lot of zambians would be miserable village folk in remote places. I shudder to think how poor Zambia would have been without the copper endowment! Some muzungu “colonial” game warden is feeling threatened with loss of niche & status quo by some other financially stronger fellow muzungus from aussie! Even people who have never set foot in rural Luangwa have been sucked up in the fracas. Others for an easy environmental dollar , others blindly! I am waiting to hear what the local Luangwa folk, their headmen & chief will say! They are key stakeholders whose opinion should weigh in…
2016 is around the corner. I hope who ever comes in power will take back that place and leave it for our children. Zambian government make the park better so we can attract tourism in Zambia. Think of what will happen in Zambia 50 years from now if you deplete all our natural resources now. Think of other means that the country can earn money without you selling the country. Think like the UAE for the future of this country not just filling up your pockets.
A short summary of the natural resources that have the potential to be impacted by mining activities in the Lower Zambezi National Park. It is critical that these unique resources be identified, the threats to them recognized, and all efforts made to protect them. The Nature Conservancy believes there are many questions that need be answered to make sound policy decisions on this issue.
What is the exact location and extent of actual strip mine
Expansion plan – what is the potential scale of this mine 5, 10, 50 years
How much water (actual) will this mine use, where will it come from and how will it be returned to the system
What will be leached from the exposed rock, how will this be contained from reaching surface and ground water and how will it be treated
What impact will…
I smell a rotten rat. In 2012, the company had a negative response, today has a green light… environmental risks have changed and favored the company (strangers) not wild life and the zambian people. Only in Zambia…Come 2016…a commision of inquiery will dig deeper…then recomend the closure of the company…! Am tired of this…the wind of change is blowing!
I have never got thru to ZEMA.org.zm – so LT/ZWD have to do a ZEMA-leaks or a Snowden….We must have the EIS and the EIA !!
They are all the same. Politicians were born of the same mother-greed and trickery. Mwanawasa sold KCM for $25 million and that amount was paid from KCM’s bank account. Vedanta were charged $50 million by Mahtani to facilitate the transaction and he paid $20 million to Maureen Mwanawasa in her specifically created account. He introduced and opened the account for her. Their travel details are kept by intelligence officers. Sata shall avoid the mistake, nobody is above law and can not escape the microscope of agencies monitoring known money launderers.
I can confirm that as of this afternoon the High Court of Zambia has granted 6 petitioners an Order Staying Execution of the decision to allow mining in Lower Zambezi NP pending hearing of the appeal. Note that as this case I before the high court I can not debate its merits being party to the action suffice to say the stay has been granted! For those who wish to view the order you can obtain a copy from the high court principal registry and its cause # 2014/HP/A006
Comments are closed.