Government says it will soon pass a policy to compel mining firms to engage importers of their copper to set up processing plants for finished products in Zambia.
Minister of Mines Christopher Yaluma says it is unacceptable that Zambia continues importing finished products of copper mined in Zambia instead of manufacturing them from within the country.
Addressing a business delegation from South Africa’s Gauteng Province at his office today, Mr. Yaluma said adding value to copper will create a lot of jobs and contribute to revenue earnings.
He said exporting copper blisters denies Zambia revenue because it contains a lot of minerals which are disintegrated in the foreign processing plants.
The Minister adds that most small-scale miners are exploited by large firms who buy them off at low prices because they lack machinery for mining.
He is however delighted that the South African delegation which includes SA Capital Equipment is looking at Zambia as a potential market.
Mr. Yaluma notes that collaborations with equipment suppliers and small scale miners and farmers would help in growing the industries.
And delegation leader Lebogang Mallo who is from the Department of Economic Development, Environment, Agriculture and Rural Development said the province is looking at forging partnerships with neighboring countries in rolling investments.
Mr. Mallo said he wants to see Zambian companies setting base in South Africa while companies from that country also coming to Zambia to set up base as part of regional integration.
He said the visit is also part of laying ground for the Gauteng Premier’s visit to Zambia next year.
Meanwhile, SA Capital Equipment Chief Executive Officer Eric Bruggeman said Zambia has plenty of water and aqua culture his firm is interested in.
He has revealed plans of setting of setting up a hub on the Copper belt Province to encourage manufacturing of products locally by South African firms.
This is a big bite – Now that is how you create growth and employment. I hope you follow through and make good of this.
With the debt we are amassing, it makes great economic sense to reign in investments will can collect taxes from ranging from VAT, PAYE and National Insurance including corporation tax and not forgetting the spin offs to other sectors of the economy. Which also repeats the process of taxes I mentioned earlier.
We need a lot more investments, this is a good start, if we can spread this to the agriculture sector, the debt we have will be surmountable and easy.
Well done…
I know a lot of people in Zambia who would like to add value to copper. Guess what, it is next to impossible to get even a tonne of cathode copper from the mines who insist it is not profitable to sell the metal locally!
Add to that no local finance is available for long term investments in such works and then Minister Yaluma says something he well knows about …
You cannot compel people to do something. That is not a good approach. You can enter into a Government/private business partnership. There are so many options for that. All you need to do is THINK! The problem with politicians is that they are lazy to think. They have so much on the plate for them to spend time thinking. Hence, they just go with the first thought that comes to mind – let’s come up with a policy and compel them. You don’t do that. Work with them. Engage them. Discuss with them on how best you can reach a win-win situation.
Eric bruggeman the sth african has said in the article that he wants nto set up a manufacturing hub in copperbelt so that STH AFRICAN firms can manufacture on the copperbelt.
Can the minister tell us what he envisages being manufactured in theses processing plants and who will be the end buyers,
This man, why is he still a Minister. He lives in Utopia.
its called hallucination
Progress at last. This is the kind of news I want to hear from Zambia.
@ Peter – you know what I mean? Just fantastic, instead of trading political blows! This is what we all need!
“…Christopher Yaluma says it is unacceptable that Zambia continues importing finished products of copper mined in Zambia instead of manufacturing them from within the country.”
EUBU MUMFWA ATI UBUPUUBA. IMPORTING WHAT YOU PRODUCE, BUT, JUST IN A DIFFERENT FORM. SURELY, MORE THAN 50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE WE ARE STILL DEPENDANTS?
The MINISTER Should speak about things he understands. How can blister copper contain MINERALS?
The squence is: You mine an Ore, an ORE contain Minerals. The copper bearing minerals can be processed to produce Blister Copper. He is thinking in Reverse.
By the way, like, someone has indicated it is easier in Zambia to get financing for a Guest were MOJOs can produce illegitimates than financing for copper processing plant for finished items.
Make money available, with, accountabilty I can produce a dozen finished products from Blister.
By the I can produce copper using a FANTA bottle.
@ apparatchik – you can extract GOLD from blisters. Please research before you come in here talking nonsense.
Blister copper is mixed with flux and enters anode furnace, which is maintained at 1100 degrees Celsius. Air is blown through the molten mixture to oxidise the copper and any remaining impurities. The impurities are removed as slag.
The impurities precipitate out and collect at the bottom of the bath as sludge which can be recycled to extract other metals such as GOLD.
SO WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT. Please do not come in here discrediting people trying to pull a country from poverty. SHUT UP!!!
Zambia must make every effort to control its copper from end-to-end (ore to final consumer product), otherwise it will be forever exploited for its raw materials, and see little of the profits.
Elo bwacha! Its never too late though. Using Public Private Partnership (PPP) this is achievable. Government should spearhead in addition to legal policy on this one. We need more companies adding value to our raw materials.
Look at the ZESCO faults being experienced every time we have rains all because of cheap cables from China! ZAMEFA cable is more reliable and durable (quality). Expand production at ZAMEFA too.
We meet people who can work had to move Zambia forward. Let me advice people in government don’t be lazy you were choicen to work for people not to benefit your self.