President Hakainde Hichilema recently commissioned the process of de-watering the flooded 28 Shaft at Chinese-owned CNMC Luanshya Copper Mines in Luanshya.
The pumping out of water from 28 Shaft will pave the way for the commencement of actual copper mining at the site which has been dormant for over 20 years.
According to CNMC Luanshya Copper Mines – Manager Corporate Affairs – Sydney Chileya, the $500 Million project will see water pumped out from 14 and 18 Shafts that are aligned to the famous 28 Shaft.
Mr. Chileya has revealed that the process of pumping out water from the three shafts is expected to commence on April 29 and will last between 18 and 21 months.
At the peak of the project about 3000 jobs are anticipated to be created.
“That project will create about 3000 jobs in total, which will be about 1,800 direct jobs and 1,200 contractual jobs. The 28 shaft is going to have its own concentrator, so we are constructing a concentrator about two to three kilometers away from 28 Shaft. That is a treatment plant for the copper to be coming from 28 Shaft,” Mr. Chileya told Radio Icengelo News.
“The moment we start pumping out water, workers will be needed to re-equip the mine. The 3000 jobs we are talking about is at the peak of this project. This is about three or four years from now. As soon as we start pumping out water you will see job creation going up,” he said.
At the back of the latest developments at 28 Shaft, CLM in 2022 commissioned a feasibility study over the possibility of re-opening the shaft.
Experts say the three shafts hold about 170,000, 000 cubic meters of water to be pushed out by 15 tailor-made pumps.
Water from 14 Shaft will flow into Luanshya River as Makoma Dam receives water from 18 shaft and water from 28 shaft will be channeled to Nkulumashiba River.
Unlike the closed up Makoma Dam, Nkulumashiba River and Luanshya River are tributaries of the Kafue River.
Therefore, water from 14 and 28 shafts will eventually find its way into the Kafue River.
I hope water being pumped outta the mine will be processed and certified fit before being released into the environment.
1. Fair enough, the project is poised to generate approximately 3000 employment opportunities, comprising roughly 1,800 direct positions and 1,200 contractual roles. The extraction process involves pumping water out from 14 and 18 Shafts, which are in alignment with the renowned 28 Shaft, operated by CNMC Luanshya Copper Mines, a Chinese-owned entity in Luanshya.
2. However, as mineral resources are depleted, a pressing question emerges: What measures will the government and its business partners undertake regarding the substantial excavations left behind? This issue is particularly poignant when considering the stark examples of vast open pits in the once lush forests of Ivory Coast and Ghana. Witnessing the destruction of fertile and breathtaking landscapes solely for financial gain is undeniably disheartening.
3. It’s imperative for Africans to collectively reconsider our approach to job creation, ensuring it doesn’t come at the expense of our continent’s natural beauty and ecological balance, which are essential to the well-being of its inhabitants.
I think after these holes are abandoned and they become disused the earth’s crust will try and rejoin so we will be having earthquakes. The Mining companies will be spectators from Europe and will be sending us experts to study these earthquakes and their damage-at a price
Investigate Kabuswe and his sudden property buying spree using his relatives including his brother especially in his Chililabombwe. Are these some of the deals he got kickbacks from? Where has he suddenly found the money to spend given his salary? As a resident of Chililabombwe, we know he was broke. We don’t want a repeat of PF corruption in UPND.