Maravi

Hopes rise for reopening of Bwana Mkubwa copper processing plant

Hopes rise for reopening of Bwana Mkubwa copper processing plant
Written by Chiwoyu Sinyangwe
Thursday, May 07, 2009 4:06:37 PM

PROSPECTS for the reopening of the closed Bwana Mkubwa copper processing plant look bright after First Quantum Minerals Limited (FQML) announced plans to start mining ore from Mkushi, according to an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

Bwana Mkubwa mine plant, which is one of the oldest mines in Zambia, ceased operations late last year after the owners of the mine FQMOL failed to clinch the vital deals with the authorities of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) over the sourcing of copper ore.

DRC authorities, under Katanga Province governor Moses Katumbi, had insisted that only copper concentrates be exported from the mineral country while FQML stated that the Bwana Mkubwa plant could only process an input of ore and not concentrates.

According to EIS for the proposed Fishtie Project at Kashime, First Quantum intended to mine three million tonnes of copper at the mine to be situated 30 kilometres north of Mkushi.

Fishtie Project at Kashime would be situated within Mkushi district and would be done by open pit mining methods.

“The mined ore will be transported to Bwana Mkubwa processing plant in Ndola for processing,” the EIS submitted to the Environmental Council of Zambia (ECZ) read in part. “FQML will also upgrade the old Congo way [old Ndola – Mkushi road] to suitable standard to facilitate transportation of ore to the processing plant.”

The EIS also announced that the Fishtie Project at Kashime was estimated at 27 months at an ore production rate of 100, 780 tonnes per month.

“The average overburden stripping will be about 856, 164 tonnes per month, giving a total overburden material of approximately 23 million tonnes for the life of the mine,” it stated.

Until its closure last year, Bwana Mkubwa used to process an annual estimate of about 41, 000 tonnes of copper cathodes and 140, 000 tonnes of Sulphuric Acid.

Labels: BWANA MKUBWA, EIS, FQML

posted by MrK @ 3:08 PM