Mopani Copper Mines Plc has confirmed that it is going ahead to shut down two of its shafts on the Copperbelt.
In a statement, Mopani Public Relations Manager Nebert Mulenga said Mopani is planning to cease operations at Mindola North Shaft and Central Shaft and instead focus on our essential capital projects.
Mr. Mulenga said these include the Synclinorium Concentrator, Mindola Deeps shaft and Henderson shaft in Mufulira.
“We believe this approach will enable us to focus on achieving both safe and productive outcomes which are essential to position Mopani for a successful future,” he said.
He said the reason for the closure of these shafts is that they have reached the end of their economic life and that their closure was always part of the plan as the mine commissioned the new shafts.
“However, the action is being taken sooner than originally planned because the company has limited resources and can no longer afford to operate these old and inefficient shafts,” Mr Mulenga said.
“Mopani Mines Plc can confirm that it has met with the unions and relevant government ministries to provide an update on safety and the necessary operational steps that need to be taken to ensure Mopani has a viable future,” he said.
“Despite our very significant investments across the operations – training programmes, operational efficiencies as well our investments into shafts, infrastructure and mining equipment, we have not been able to get to a level of safety, output and cost that is sustainable.”
He said the closure of these two uneconomic shafts allows the firm to apply the funds provided by Glencore towards the completion of the expansion projects, which represent the future of the company and mining by Mopani on the Copperbelt.
“We anticipate that these measures will regrettably result in the loss of direct employee and contractor jobs. Mopani will engage with the Unions and all affected employees and contractors to provide them with the appropriate support,” he said.
GRZ in partnership with Zambians should start opening new mines to create employment for its people. Presently, there is so much dependency on foreign investors in relation to job creation for local people.
When is GRZ going to wake up and realise that investors are only here to make profits, externalise forex and develop their own countries. No wonder foreign reserves have in recent years dwindled because at at the moment, Zambia has become only a consumer and without production/industries that can be called its own.
God Bless Zambia.
Ati GRZ iwe Ichalo li fupa!
GRZ is Mwanakatwe, Its PF with fist punching cadres and ministers most without a traceable lineage of wealth creation, Its ministers suspected of the most abhorrent corruption still serving and too much to mention.
You think we can run a mine???? a complex business as such! I tell you the brains that did it are dead and yes we as Zambia do have very brainy intelligent people that have withdrawn as they can mix with this calibre of people. These are a thug based Government
Thanks
At Cat Power, thanks for the observation.
Tim Henderson shaft, my foot
#Mr P; very true and a very uncertain future for most Zambians.
God bless Zambia.
@comrade Ichalo Lifupa …..
You have my point.
Anyways, it’s SAD to loose employment in this Era when economy is tilting off.
I feel for people who will loose their sources of livelihoods.
#China, it’s not that GRZ cannot operate mines but it’s all due to missed priorities by GRZ. Zambia have capacity when it comes to techies to do the jobs. There are a lot of techie in diaspora who can do this but honestly, do you expect them to back to Zambia to work for example under individuals from the archives like K Zulu et al?
Dull chap with mr P, maybe someone needs to teach you your country history again. You failed to run those mines before because of losses that’s why you sold them. PF is failing to pay workers on time imagine adding thousands more that will be disastrous
Whether the shafts are owned by PFyools GRZ, trib.al upnd or Mopani or any other private investor is irrelevant to the narrative. The shafts are simply not economic and not safe to run. Why politicise or trib.alise straight forward matters?
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