Mopani has halted copper production across all of its operations in Zambia following the death of four miners in separate accidents.
Three workers were electrocuted its Mufulira underground mine, the official, who declined to be named, told Reuters.
A further accident took place last week at a Mopani shaft in Kitwe where the mine employs around 14,000 people.
“The latest position is that we have suspended all production related operations across all Mopani facilities to facilitate investigations into the severe mines accidents that we have experienced in the recent past,” the official said.
Apart from the Mufulira underground shaft in Mufulira, Mopani also owns the Nkana underground shaft, South Ore Body shaft and the Mindola shaft in Kitwe.
The mining giant is currently working on sinking three new shafts, investing US$1.1 billion to incorporate technology expected to extend mine life by 25 years.
Zambia’s copper exports account for around 70% of Africa’s total copper production and 60% of its exports.
Glencore is investing more than $1.1 billion in Zambia to sink three shafts at MCM with new technology that will extend mine life by over 25 years.
DRC has surpassed Zambia in terms of Copper exports . The 70% attributed to Zambia above is incorrect. FQM is what produces 70% of Zambia’s Copper output. I rest my case. Sad that we have accidents.
DRC can produce 100% if they want but does that resource trickle down to the civilians or just to Kabila’s Swiss account? You are likened to a Store Assist who works in Shoprite who is boasting about their company’s huge profits and expansion in Africa yet you are paid utter peanuts/slave wages and not entitled to staff share options.
Wake up from your folly!!
HH at it again sacrificing innocent miners.
HH and ECL are just okay. It’s people like kudos who insult who are styopet.It is just imperative that Mopani suspends and investigates. However this should not end like the PF commission of enquiries which were just a conduit of paying friends by appointing them commissioners
Very unusual and spate of accidents. There is one party that has not hidden the fact that they believe their political success depends on adversity and bad news in the country including deaths. Do not rule out their hand in this, of course I mean sabotage. Please keep production suspended until 8/11, that is surest way to contain that party especially that the police are impotent.
Mr Terrible Mr Terrible
A am surprised you would now start indulging in superstition where you are seeing the shadow of HH every where.
That is how people go insane.
I told you to just join the forward red movement to move zambia forward instead of spending your days with the other PF kaponyas counting shadows of HH.
I wish hh can one day say because our member died through political violence let’s suspend all our political meetings until after elections.
The agony of being a PF kaponya is…..
HH takes over your life…….
Chakolwa is to blame after retrenchments people are over working its like more job to do but less labour.
This must be the real reason. It is very difficult to get an electrocution accident that kills 3 people at once. This can only be from unsafe working conditions, eg. working on electrical faults in a wet area. Companies only do such unsafe acts when they are in distress. Mopani should be thoroughly investigated.
The agony of being a PF kaponya is…….
When you look at you wife you see HH when you look at your self in the mirror you see HH when you reflect all you think is HH……
Bear full you guys,
The agony of being a PF kaponya is…….
When you look at you wife you see HH when you look at your self in the mirror you see HH when you reflect all you think is HH……
Be carefull your obsession with HH does not ruin you lives you PF kaponyas.
Guys,
Glencore is brutal, ruthless and avaricious.
It is only in Australia where they maintain safety standards.
In Africa, and South America, they feel lives are cheap and disposable.
They inculcate such thinking in their middle-managers.
Kindly study their track record
This is not the first time …what is wrong with our country; is there not any Health and Safety Board to oversee all this…is it that difficult? Simply copy and paste what others are doing..We are happy to spend a whooping $1million per km on overpriced road construction BUT can not regulate these infestors.
Mopani has worked well on safety of the employees and the environment,its just that accidents do happen and Edgar chakolwa Kaloba Wrungu’s policies have contributed like people are over working due labour shortage after Chakolwa allowed them to retrench some workers.
You are as drunk as the selfsame Chakolwa as you are posting oxymoron comments.
Your wife tells you that you are not the man you used to be, after you lamentably failed to rise to the occassion last night. Would you still blame HH? PF cadres are rotten to the bone.
@4.1 Spaka like lilo, so then you think that it’s U5 responsible for the unfortunate fatal accidents? That is sad but he will never make it as president of Zambia in our life time. He has misused the chance to campaign by telling too many lies about things that are physically impossible to change in his life time, joined wrong company the way boys get excited when their friends introduce them to the green stuff, overrated himself, and the fatal mistake of thinking that he can turn around a national economy single handedly. The “I” syndrome is political suicide, you know.
So Spaka when are you coming across so that we can start to rehabilitate you? Your colleagues are welcome too but offer is only valid until 9th August before U5 holds his Chawama rally.
To tell you the truth Mr Terrible if I were advisor to HH I would make him see that if he were to lose it won’t be a bad thing.
PF have borrowed to much money and messed up too much for any one to fix in the first term especially with IMF sniffing around.
I predict riots late next year as the borrowing starts to bit poor zambians and prices of everything get out of reach.
Who ever rules zambia will fail or will have to perform miracles in the first term.
and as the saying goes
‘ if you broke it you fix it ‘
So let PF continue with Their disastrous rule.
LT where did you get this article from? Times or Chamber of Mines? Why did you not just get the one from Reuters as this one is diluted a bit…
Reuters UPDATE 1-Glencore halts Zambia copper mine output after deaths.
Aug 5 Glencore’s Zambian Mopani Copper Mines (MCM) has halted production at all its operations after four miners were killed in separate accidents, a company official said on Friday.
MCM on Thursday suspended production at its Mufulira underground mine after three miners were electrocuted, the official, who declined to be named, told Reuters.
Last week another miner was killed in an accident at a Mopani shaft in Kitwe, local media reported.
I am surprised after what Glencore did to the people of Mufulira they are still operating in Zambia. The CEO of Glencore’s Mopani copper is Johan Jansen and they are ripping off the people Zambia. Please watch this on Youtube: “Stealing Africa …. Why Poverty.” Lungu needs to get this money back that is owed to Zambia. The schools and social responsibility Glencore reaches to clinics they claim to be building is from our own money they stole. Sometimes white people are wolves in sheep’s clothing. You will despise Mopani after watching the video. This is the r.a.pe of Africa’s resources. Once again go to YouTube and type: Stealing Africa …. Why Poverty.