The Association of Zambia Mineral Exploration Companies (AZMEC) says it supports the decision by Zambezi Resources to appeal the decision by ZEMA to reject mining activities in the Lower Zambezi National Park.
The Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) recently rejected environmental impact study (EIS) submissions for the proposed US$494 million copper project citing environmental concerns.
Once fully operational, the mine would have created over 400 full time jobs.
But Zambezi Resources, which owns the Kangaluwi Copper Project has since lodged an appeal to the Minister of Environmental Protection seeking a review of ZEMA’s decision as provided for in the Environmental Management Act of 2011.
And AZMEC President Gilbert Temba said his association fully supports Zambezi Resources in its appeal process.
Mr. Temba said the decision by ZEMA to reject the project out rightly was not fair.
He said the project should be allowed to proceed because the many social and economic benefits it will provide to the local community.
No more mines please. We do not benefit anything from these mines. Unless we change the way our mining resources are exploited, we should not risk giving mining licenses to thieving foreigners who mean no good for Zambians and its environment. Our Emeralds are the best in the world and I always see on UK TV how they are highly prized and sold as finished articles on rings, necklaces and bracelets, but what do we have to show for it as Zambians? Nothing!! Glenco takes all our copper in Mufulira and Kitwe and yet pay no taxes nor improve the environment where they operate, so what is the point? No ,more mines!!
A mine employing 400 workers isa very small mine and distroying a game reserve just tones of copper is not a good idear. Mineral can be found anywhere but does not mean that they can be mined anywhere.
Is Temba a Zambian name?
its Zim
No mining in the National Park please. You guyz from Europe and Asia finished all your Animals and want us to be wreckless as well. What are 400 jobs anyway when in the actuall sense these same workers will be underpaid and exploited. And you think you can fool us. I hope the Minister does justice by upholding the decision by ZEMA
no mining in the lower Zambezi please – 400 jobs can be created by encouraging tourism
Let the mine open we need a market for farm produce here in Luangwa, these 400 workers will feed on our farm produce, teachers, Doctors, agriculturist will be fighting to be posted here by government the way they fight for Copperbelt because of mining activities, contactors will employ their own pipo we shud view this in a wider picture not just the 400 jobs, try to read motivational books those mines that say they’ve employed 2000 they count togetther with those employed by contractors, PF is creating 1 million jobs before 2016 so its 400 down 999600 to go, lets open up Zambia soon we’ll be an oil producing country.
Fool! The lifespan of this mine is 10 years! And is this the reason why you want to destroy a park that can be in existence for the next 200 years!
@ECONOMIST indeed you think like a fool! and don’t call yourself economist because you are a disgrace to the profession if you are infant one. obviously you have never stayed in mufulila of other mining towns to see the damaging effects that mines have on the environment and the ecosystem. now that’s a home for animals and it still provides adequate funds through tourism and you want to destroyed it all in the name of 400 jobs? does that even make sense to you!
I agree entirely with No.1 Kuta… For those not in the know; watch: Zambia Good Copper, Bad Copper and this will surely open your eyes. If this generation cannot see how these mines have continued to exploit our resoures without any tangible benefit to the zambians, i suggest we spare them (under ground) for future generations.
I agree entirely with No.1 Kuta… For those not in the know; watch: Zambia Good Copper, Bad Copper and this will surely open your eyes. If this generation cannot see how these mines have continued to exploit our resoures without any tangible benefit to the zambians, i suggest we spare them (under ground) for future generations.
Are you going to mine the whole country and leave us in caves?
Just because there are copper deposits in certain places does not mean you have got to get it wherever it is.
The issue of a mining firm in the Lower Zambezi National Park is not wecome. They are talking of 400 jobs and they are working on a product which can not be renewed. Currently with tourism in the area i think the Tour operator in and around the park have between 350 and 450 workers working in the industry. Animals if conserved they can’t run out and jobs will be mantained. Now let’s talk of Minerals after a certain preiod of time the minerals will run out and these so called investors will run away with all the money leaving Zambians with nothing to do. As an indigenous Zambian and born in Chiawa i strongly say no to mining activities in the park. To hell this so called Temba, find your own land and give it to Zambezi resources not Lower Zambezi National Park. Viva ZEMA.
I agree entirely with No.1 Kuta… For those not in the know; watch: Zambia Good Copper, Bad Copper on youtube and this will surely open your eyes. If this generation cannot see how these mines have continued to exploit our resoures without any tangible benefit to the zambians, i suggest we spare the resurces underground for future generations.
If Mr. Temba had bothered to red the EIA/EIS by Zambezi Resources he would have realised that the proposed mine would have zero if any benefits to the local community. Despite the attempt by the company to full ZEMA with false information and substandard report the project was rightly rejected, Kudos to ZEMA it takes real courage and conviction. And BTW Economist # 6, how is the mine going to stimulate these activities as according to the project proponents the workers will be housed in temporary camps away from Luangwa (at least 100km away). Check your facts.
Temba please go back to Zimbabwe. Stop insulting our intelligence. Secondly, the project is not being erected there for the benefit of the local community. Stop being stupid. The project is going into there to make money for shareholders who are not even Zambians. It is time we did something right for us Zambians and reject this project. If there is one thing left for PF government to do something right is this project top outrightly reject it. Zambia is big, why are they so hankered on Lower Zambezi? Is it because there might be more precious metals there than just copper??? Very soon we will form community vigilante groups in Zambia so that if politicians are too corrupt we can move in and kick out the arrogant foreign investors. NO is NO. Bribe the Minister at your own risk…!
THERE ARE A LOT OF MINERALS IN LUAPULA PROVINCE INCLUDING COPPER AND HARDLY IS THERE A MINE. WHY MINE WHERE THERE’S ALREADY TOURISM BUSINESS AND HOME FOR A LARGE SWAM OF ANIMALS AND NATURAL HABBITAT? IT WILL BE VERY STUPID OF YOU ZEMA TO EAT YOUR OWN VOMIT UPON THIS APPEAL.
ZAMBIA NEEDS TO RESERVE ALL MINERALS FOR IT’S VALUE ADDITION/MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY WHICH IS THE REAL THING.
What do you expect from The Association of Zambia Mineral Exploration Companies they make money from membership subscription.These foreign miners will not stop until the bleed us dry…why don’t they explore somewhere else like North Western Province at least those places are close to the smelters in CB; this mine won’t even contribute enough tax to justify the use of Great East Road to transport its concentrate to the Copper-belt for smelting.
What is 400 jobs? A commercial farm can easily provide that and greatly benefit the nation not mines owned by foreigners.
#6 CIPUBA.
Not mining in the part…period
as in park!
Temba is a an *****, ZEMA was created for this. We cannot allow selfishness and greediness to control decisions on the environment. The park must be preserved at all cost! The mine will just pollute the place and leave when they exhaust the ore or if the prices drop. If we loose the park we cannot recreate it.  It took thousands of years for the place to look that beautiful and the future generations deserve right to enjoy it. NO pollutants in the national parks!Â
NUMBER 6 WATCH A VIDEO ON YOUTUBE ZAMBIA GOOD COPPER,BAD COPPER AND SEE HOW THIS MINES ARE REAPING OFF MOTHER ZAMBIA,AM SURE AFTER WATCHING YOU WONT BE SUPPORTING THE IDEA OF OPENING MORE MINES.
400 jobs against the backdrop of millions syphoned? Atase.
A big no mining has done nothing for Zambians but benefited the owners of the Mines.Live the National Parks alone 400 jobs can be created in the cities,Crazy investor take your money elsewhere not here we are not sale.It looks like big mouth has been bribed we the people say NO Mining Period.
A big no mining has done nothing for Zambians but benefited the owners of the Mines.Leave the National Parks alone 400 jobs can be created in the cities,Crazy investor take your money elsewhere not here we are not sale.It looks like big mouth has been bribed we the people say NO Mining Period.
ZEMA did its job…dont let the politicians over rule it, they do, then ZEMA becomes irrelevant!
Destroy the environment for only 4OO mining jobs? These are too few jobs to risk the beautiful Zambian environment. I appeal to President Sata to intervene and stop the rot. Besides, what is the life span for the mine? Most probably less than ten years. The opportunity cost is not worth the gamble. Dr Temba should know this better than anybody because we were together at Mpatamatu Secondary School in Luanshya, a mining township which has not benefited from its over 100 years of copper mining yet it employed thousands.
Zambians lets rise up against this inhumane act now! This is not right, the park is not only a home to our annimals but also to the people. Am against it am against it. The minning will not only starve our country with its natural God given heritage but will bring more health hardious problems which will lead to loss of life 100 times more. This is not right People should protest, I normally never encourage protests but with this development I dont mind! Please Mr president over turn this rulling and serve mother Zambia, now sir now!