Company Board Chairman and Country Manager JACKSON SIKANO says chibuluma South Mine currently has an ore body of one point three million tons of copper in reserves with an ore body grade of two point five percent.
Mr. Sikamo has further disclosed that the mine has been making loses since 2015. He added that in 2015 alone the firm made a 31 point 6 million United States dollars. The development has forced the mine to scale down its production and labour force.
Mr Sikamo disclosed this when Mines Minister Christopher Yaluma visited the mine. He added that Chibuluma Mine although operating under difficulties has managed to pay over 268 million United States dollars in form of taxes to the Treasury in the last 20 years.
And Mr Yaluma has assured the Metorex run mine that government will offer the firm a new green field. Mr Yaluma is impressed that despite the challenges that the firm is facing it has proved to a good mining firm.
Meanwhile, CNMC Luanshya Copper Mines Chief Executive Officer Wang Chunlai has said that the firm cannot give a salary hike to its workers because it is facing financial challenges.
Mr Wang said that a salary increment this year is unattainable saying the company is almost bankrupt. Speaking through an interpreter, Mr Wang said that the firm is even considering filing for bankruptcy because it is borrowing money from China.
And Minister of Mines Christopher Yaluma who pleaded with management to consider the plight of the workers, said management should find a way of motivating its workers.
Mr Yaluma said commodity prices have gone up and the mine must bail out its workers through a decent pay rise. Two weeks ago, hundreds of Luanshya Copper Mines workers went on a two day work stoppage to press for a 25 percent salary hike.
National Union of Miners and Allied Workers Deputy General Secretary Steven Mwaanga, who is chairing the negotiations, says talks have reached a deadlock as management has refused to honour the 25 percent salary increment proposed by the unions.
2021 ITS OK BY THEN WE WILL HAVE A WISE PRESIDENT SO THOSE WORKERS WILL BE PROTECTED
Iwe reporter, please learn how to deal with numbers – you either quote them in numbers or words, but when you use words you have to mention all millions, thousands, hundreds, tens and ones as opposed to translating decimals using the word POINT… Did you attend all your maths lessons at Primary School?
IF THERE IS ANY GOOD AT ALL IN TRUMP IT IS THAT HE HAS SAID AMERICANS SHOULD COME FIRST IN HIS COUNTRY. SIMILARLY FOR US, ZAMBIANS SHOULD COME FIRST.
WHY SHOULD THERE BE SO MANY CHINESE WORKERS AT THESE CHINESE-OWNED MINES? HOW MUCH DO THEY GET? HOW MANY ZAMBIANS ARE BEING DEPRIVED OF JOBS?
WHY ARE THERE PARALLEL MANAGEMENT STRUCTURES AT THESE MINES WHERE NO ZAMBIAN IS ALLOWED? “SENIOR ZAMBIAN MANAGERS SO-CALLED” ARE ONLY THERE FOR WINDOW-DRESSING.
WHY!WHY! WHY!
Not good news for the country. We urgently need to move away from depending on the mines as a nation. Agriculture is the way to go.
And when there’s drought?
If we had people who are able to plan, a mine like chibuluma could have earned more dollars by turning it into a tourist mine.
The failure of this mine is attributed to same man. When he took over from that white general manager, the mine was very vibrant with a highly motivated and committed team. The first thing he did was to dismiss all managers and replace them with his friends from KCM, some of who bad grade D exist rates. He stopped hiring suppliers and contractors from Kitwe and Kalulushi and brought in his friends from Chingola. This single action put many local families in misery.
Ba Zambian trumpits, full of xenophobia. Leave Chinese alone please mwe bantu. 752,000 square meters of land size, do something. PF government has proved to be a disaster so start doing your own things
Ba wasnu ngwee. If you’re an illiterate just keep quiet. What wrong had the journalist done with writing story? If you have nothing to write about Judy wank or mastabet.
The country will regain stability soon its a matter of time.
@kapelakatumpa! Dream on papa ! With chakolwa at the helm..!! Kayaa.!
Guys,
I was a geologist at Baluba mine in the 1980’s. The mine can subsist as a cobalt producer. When the copper grade cuts off, cobalt continues 1.5m either side, into the foot and hinging walls. Old draw points material is already broken, there is no need to drill and blast. I estimate that Baluba could have 5-8 years life remaining. In addition, Akatiti dam can be processed through the Muliashi plant adding another 5 years