FIRST Quantum Minerals (FQM) Zambia Limited, Equinox Zambia Limited and ZCCM-IH are among over 400 mining companies facing closure for defaulting on meeting statutory obligations as required by law.
The Ministry of Mines and Natural Resources has since warned the defaulting companies that they risk having their mineral processing or exploration licences cancelled if they do not remedy the defaults within 60 days starting from Friday, March 16, 2012.
This is according to a default notice issued by Geological Survey Department director Chipilauka Mukofu to the erring companies.
“In accordance with provisions of section 102 of the Mines and Minerals Development Act number 7 of 2008, the director of Geological Survey hereby gives default notices to the under-listed holders of prospecting licences and mineral processing licences with the following defaults:
“Non-payment of area charges on the anniversary of grant, contrary to section 143 of the Mines and Minerals Development Act, failure to commence and carry out prospecting operations contrary to section 19 of the Mines and Minerals Development Act, and failure to submit quarterly and annual exploration reports, contrary to provisions of the Act,” the notice reads in part.
Further defaults are submission of sub-standard or false reports that do not represent exploration progress, failure to submit a decision letter in respect of an environmental project brief and failure to keep full and accurate exploration or mining processing records.
“As provided under section 102, all defaulting holders are hereby given a period of 60 days, effective from the date of publication of this notice, to remedy the defaults cited above, failure to which the prospecting licence or mineral exploration licence shall be cancelled,” the notice adds.
Other notables on the list include Ndola Lime Company Limited, TEAL Development Zambia Limited, BHP Billiton World Exploration Incorporation Zambia Limited, Zhonghui Mining Industry Limited and Euro Africa Kalengwa Mines Limited.
Others are Jiaxing Mining Zambia Limited, Central Africa Mining Limited, Mwembeshi Resources Limited, Sino-Kasempa, Zhonglian Mining Group Corporation Limited and China Mining Group Corporation.
Some of the individuals on the list are Jason Mfula and Jazzman Chikwakwa.
But FQM says it is fully compliant with all statutory requirements.
The company says the Kipushi mining prospecting licence cited for has been in dispute for three years.
“The dispute has put First Quantum Minerals in a position in which it cannot do anything until the matter is resolved,” a company spokesperson said in response to a Sunday Mail query.
And Ndola Lime Company Limited says it will have to check the prospecting licences being referred to by the ministry.
Company general manager Abraham Witika said the company holds a mining licence.
“We have to check the prospecting licences being referred to because we are in mining industry, with a mining licence,” he said.
He was speaking in an interview in Ndola yesterday. Ndola Lime Company produces limestone, quicklime and hydrated lime.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
If the ruling party is getting away with it, why not them, that is why it is very important that you rule by example MMD.
I am not happy with the approach taken in resolving issues. FQM is by far the single mining entity contributing in excess of 30 percent of the national budget by way of taxes. Resolving issues through the press rather than through dialogue is like shooting one self in the foot. How can you threaten a company owned by GRZ like Ndola Lime? Government threatens Government?! This is anarchy. A better approach can be adopted and I see dialogue as critical; but hey, who am I?
MMD are to blame for all this!! They were too lenient and too corrupt for too long!!!!. Sata is changing all that…
Blacks have started thinking now
Thumbs up to PF!! First we split the country into 72 districts, then we kill the opposition and finally shut down the mining sector! Hail to the Great Cobra Leader! Long live our Kaponyocracy!!!
Now we are on Top of the game. Dont Kubeba. Nationalisation of mines in style. Ice cream and swimming. Nitambako chabe. No fuel, No MMD, NO mining, No 4% salary increase, No windfal tax, The list goes on. Wapya munzi.
Looks like there has been a culture of irresponsibility. Like the comment from the guy who has to now go hunting through the dusty files marked ‘forgotten in tray stuff’ :) Shape up or lose it and no complaining either. Shameful culture of non compliance bred by those who have clearly found ways to continue to operate around the law.
Lets work even harder to put the wrong doers onto the black book
In developed countries, no one, no company goes about breaking the law’ and that is why those countries are developed. But in Zambia, a ruling party becomes corrupt, stops respecting law and order, cannot pay registration fees prescribed by law and we have educated people by millions supporting it; and you wonder why we are underdeveloped. We have very bad habits, starting with spitting, urinating and shitting in public to breaking laws with impunity. Bane tucinje. Fish starts rotting from the head. Attitudes must change if we are to develop.
Its the perpetuation of “Kaponyocracy”. The authorities should move in to ensure the laws of the land are respected and all found to flout them must be called to account without fear or favour. That what happens in responsible societies.
There are three types of life styles a person can lead. (i) Primitive style where you rely on nature for everything, water from a river, bush for food and toilet. With this style, no law obtains, just jungle living, you can kill, and be killed, no probs. (ii) Civilised living with laws, and engineered services; (iii) that which falls in between primitive life and civilised life.
MMD dreamed of a civilised life, yet had a primitive approach. No laws, could shit any where, as BOMA. To change this mentality will be hard
Let them close all the companies on the list so that the workers can stay home and rest.
Maake boyi pass me the PF spectacles; yup it looks like a very progressive move, let them go ahead and close the companies.
Companies just pay the dues you owe the government. The Boma has alot of debts that is why civil servants can not be awarded salary increment. Fake mining companies just pay. PF if they dont pay close them up
Chwe chwe chwe
First Quantum afyantamo ubufi mu report
Greetings to all zambians, i just want to add up my opnion, if the presindet is in power and u are putting more presure on him how can we succed in development, coz they time he needs to think that is the time the oposition is oposing making hime thinking on how he is also going to defend his views. lets put the hands together and lets think of how we are going to develop see Namibia is going to pass us soon , Angola if cuba we cant even copare ourselves with them in construction. lastly any presindent who is going to be in power he will face the same problem coz people who are supose to help him to think are is oposers please lets think twice and we are going to succed. not only this also the matter of the barotse land all those matters make the presindent to be in more stress insted of d