
KANSANSHI Mining Plc has dismissed claims that its employees in the gold production unit could potentially suffer from infertility as a result of the infra-red body searches.
Reacting to media reports about miners in the gold-digging section fearing for their fertility, a statement from the mining giant said the fears were misplaced.
“The claims are baseless and unfounded. The reported rigorous infra-red searches do not exist. All employees without exception, including supervisors and managers, are searched by hand-held metal detectors. These are the same devices used at airports and other high security facilities,” the statement reads in part.
Kansanshi mine says the metal detectors meet international standards of safety and are widely accepted as a quick, safe and non-intrusive security measure.
The country’s largest gold and copper producer says it has an impressive track-record in safety, health and environment.
“Kansanshi Mining Plc champions the highest safety standards in all its operations. It continuously strives to improve standards as evidenced by its rigorous pursuit of the company’s policy which dictates safety as the over-riding consideration in its operations.
“The company underpins that policy by encouraging employees to report risks and voice concerns as a way of upholding and continuously improving standards.”
The mine has also described suggestions that Government and dignitaries are barred from visiting the gold production unit as ‘preposterous’.
The statement states that the mine regularly hosts various stakeholders, including government officials.
“It is not true that government officials are not allowed to visit, as officials from the Zambia Revenue Authority, Ministry of Mines and Natural Resources, other ministries and government agencies are welcome and do visit whenever there are duties.”
The Zambian government owns 20 percent shares in Kansanshi Mining Plc while First Quantum, the Toronto, London and Lusaka-listed mining and metals company, owns 80 percent.
Meanwhile, Kansanshi Mine on Monday conducted an emergency shut-down, with no injury recorded following a discharge of acidic slurry within the high pressure leach section of the mine.
The statement says the shut-down, a result of equipment failure within the High Pressure Leach section of the copper-processing plant, did not stop mining or other processing operations.
“The failure resulted in an unplanned and rapid de-pressurisation of one of the autoclaves, with a consequential discharge of acidic slurry. An emergency shut-down was successfully initiated and staff in the affected area safely evacuated until the situation was brought fully under control,” the statement says.
It says the fact that nobody was injured was testimony of the company’s strict adherence to the highest safety standards anchored in the company policy.
“Kansanshi has recorded 3.8 million fatality-free shifts and is poised to reach 4 million by February 2012.
“We never compromise on the company’s dictum that no job is so important that it cannot be done safely,” the statement reads.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
Shimaini fye nga afilwe incito…always complaining…..literacy levels in the production sections of the zambian mining sector are so low…please,educate these people…..site mining training schools should come up with syllabi to include alll areas of concern to avoid unnecesary complaints….
First quantum has already refused to pay its $500 million debt to zambian state through ZCCM-ih
on top of that it would have been scandalous they poison zambian people
Are the mines declaring – in all honesty – what they are producing? Does the government have in place means to check and verify production levels? Or they take what is submitted on returns as gospel truth? Are mines paying requisite taxes for what they are getting out of the ground? Racist practices, including exploitative salaries paid to locals should be investigated and appropriate measures taken against the mwansa kabingas.
3, Indingene, It pains me when I think of how our gvt is loosing millions of dollars thru underdeclaration of copper production. I work for a company which can offer solutions to our gvt on how to monitor copper out. I have always been debating on wether I should resign and come and implement a project to help the gvt but the problem is, will the gvt accept my proposal, if not, I will remain with no Job.
YES GUYS, FIRST QUANTUM IS ROBBING THE ZAMBIAN GOVT. DAILY. THEY ONLY DECLARE GOLD PRODUCED AS BULLION. GOLD IN COPPER CONCENTRATE, WHICH IS 70% OF THE TOTAL GOLD PRODUCED AT KANSANSHI, IS NOT DECLARED. THEY TREAT THE CONCENTRATE AS A COPPER CONCENTRATE. GENERAL KINGSLEY CHINKULI AND FRED BANTUBONSE ARE AWARE OF THIS…..YET THEY REMAIN SILENT!!!!
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