Works at the manganese mine in Serenje have commenced following the end of the heavy rains that had hampered kick-starting operations, posing a challenge in accessing the mine site areas.
ZCCM Investments Holdings Plc (ZCCM-IH) through its wholly-owned subsidiary Kabundi Resources Limited (KRL) are on-site and have started Phase one of the project in the small-scale mining license, with an initial capital injection of K18.6 million.
Phase two of the project which is scheduled to start before the onset of this year’s rainy season will be extended to other areas of the ZCCM-IH Large Scale Exploration area in Serenje.
ZCCM-IH Chief Executive Officer Mr. Mabvuto Chipata undertook a site visit end of April 2020, where he also inspected works at the Kampumbu Resettlement area earmarked for the relocation of nine (9) households from the Kabundi mine site.
The Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) approved by the Zambia Environmental Management Services (ZEMA) involves the construction of an additional one-by-two classroom block, a health center, nine-by-three bedroomed houses for the relocation of the Project Affected Families, one house for a teacher, and another house for medical staff.
These buildings will also be serviced and fully connected with piped water sourced from water boreholes to be drilled in the area.
Mr. Chipata was happy with the progress made both at the mining operation and the RAP sites.
He stated that the mine will be fully operational by July 2020, and looked forward to having it officially launched by August 2020.
ZCCM-IH will spend a total of K4.5 million to fulfil the RAP obligations, which are scheduled to be handed over to the beneficiaries in June 2020.
The RAP project has so far employed over 20 locals. KRL will further employ over 150 youths at the mine site as production scales up upon relocation of the affected families.
KRL targets to mine about 60,000 tonnes of manganese by the end of the year during the ramp-up period of operations.
Production is targeted to reach 240,000 tonnes of manganese ore annually once commercial production is achieved.
The Company is a strategic investment aimed at diversifying the commodity mix of the ZCCM-IH’s portfolio which is largely comprised of copper producing assets.
Manganese is too heavy for PF thieves to steal and it requires a bit of sophistication to sell unlike Gold….
@Tarino: Levy would have already got an investor, signed contracts which would have given the investor to ship all the manganese out, get paid abroad and only bring salaries, expenses and royalties back to Zambia; Hell, he would have even allowed the investor to take all arbitration abroad like he did with KCM!! But PF wants to get assets and wealth for Zambians. Those colonial sentiments of thieving and corruption are for donkeys like you….
@Tarino Orange If they could steal more than 100’s of trailer trucks fully loaded with Mukula tree trunks in broad daylight, what would stop them from smuggling Manganese out of the sleepy country. Tons and tons of Emeralds and other precious minerals are mined secretly in the middle of the jungle and flown out of the country every week without the poor citizens noticing.
Zambian Citizen – I wish I could put a face to the rubbish you post on here – you are really delusional – “But PF wants to get assets and wealth for Zambians” how are they doing that when they are selling everything to Chinks?
how old is that picture? wakanda machinery is that? its looks like in 1950s. lets get serious bane with business as a country.
BENZ
BMW
ZNBC
BBC
BOZ.
This business of undertaking too many capital expenditure programmes that can only pay off in the nxt 8 to 10 yrs or longer is too risky. Wht makes it worse is that these programmes are being implemented at the same time. Wht if u run out of own cash before u begin to generate any cash from both projects?
I don’t see this manganese mine generating any cash in the nxt 8 to 10 yrs, let alone a profit. Mn is mainly used as an alloy, dry cell production and in steel production. It’s not a metal that commands a high price. Unless Zambia industrializes and begins to use the metal locally, I don’t see a bright future for the mine in Serenje.
We keep digging the country but no one knows where the money goes. Bally please so tupususheko
Country full of holes because of mineral extraction but no one benefits except the political elite. Servants of the people enriching themselves in a hurry because Bally is coming with a sledge hummer n those found wanting will end up behind bars, starting with Kaizar Zulu who will end up drinking seven days
Country full of holes but political elite benefitting?? Last time I checked, it’s the Glencore, FQM shareholders benefitting more!!!! Politician are not even on miners’ payroll. It seems bally needs a situation like what happened with Levy and FTJ to boost his political survival because he literally has no strategy for this country!!
@Tarino: who’s delusional here?? PF reacquired ZAMTEL within their first year of governance, they have put together IDC, airline on card, KCM back to the people, ZAFFICO listed on LuSE, ZCCM GOLD-WHAT HAS BEEN SOLD TO THE CHINESE??? it’s hard being a upnd donkey in a foreign land, no??
Too well brought up to insult anybody. Only know how to think the right thoughts.