Mining firms prospecting for minerals in National Parks
Wednesday, November 4, 2009, 11:27
Parliament yesterday heard that three firms are prospecting for minerals in the Lochinvar National park and Kafue flats in Bweengwe constituency.
Mines and Mineral Development Minister has told parliament that Albidon Zambia limited, Dongwe and other small licensed firms are prospecting for Gypsum and other precious minerals and stones in the area.
Dr. Mwansa was responding to a question by Bweengwe Member of Parliament Hive Hamududu who wanted to know whether there were any firms prospecting for minerals in the Lochinvar national park and Kafue flats in his constituency.
Mr. Hamududu also wanted to know the names of the firms and the kind of mineral they are prospecting.
Mr. Hamududu said there was need for the Ministry of Mines to be careful as some firms would get consent for prospecting minerals while they were actually mining.
In response the Dr. Mwansa said the process of prospecting involves special meteorological works hence the use of some equipment which seem as though the companies were mining.
He appealed to those interested in prospecting for minerals in the area to apply for the mining rights.
Earlier Transport and Communications Minister, Geoffery Lungwangwa told the house that his Ministry is committed to holding the Rail Systems of Zambia (RSZ) accountable to the concession that was signed between the company and government.
Prof Lungwangwa said government will always make sure that the RSZ adheres to the concession requirements so that the rail sector develops in the country.
On the cargo exceeding the set tonnage, Prof Lungwangwa said there is a law that stipulates that any cargo vehicle should not be more than 22 metres long and should be weighed.
The Minister was responding to oral questions by Kabwe Central MP Kayula Kakusa who wanted to know whether the Government has any plans to introduce maximum tonnage on particular stretches of roads so that cargo exceeding the set tonnage should be transported by rail to save roads.
Mr. Kakusa also wanted to know when the Railway Systems of Zambia (RSZ) will repair the rail tracks to save the roads from being damaged by heavy trucks.
ZANIS
Labels: ALBIDON, GAME PARKS, GEOFFREY LUNGWANGWA, HIGHVIE HAMUDUDU
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Govt calls for a halt to comments over the closure of Albidon Nickel mine
Saturday, May 2, 2009, 12:23
Government has cautioned politicians to desist from issuing negative statements about the closure of Albidon Munali Nickel mine in Mazabuka.
Youth, Sport and Development minister Kenneth Chipungu said in Mazabuka today that government is concerned with the negative reports about the mine, particularly from some opposition parties.
He said it does not make sense for the opposition to criticise government over the closure of the mine when negotiations between government and the new investor over the taking over of operations have reached an advanced stage.
Mr. Chipungu said the negative reports if left unchecked could scare away investors who have shown interest to take over operations at the only Nickel mine in the country.
He said there is need for the opposition to support government efforts meant to find a reliable investor who will revive operations and ensure people who lost jobs are re-employed.
Mr Chipungu said a Chinese investor whom he did not name has shown interest to take over the running of the mine.
All the staff at the mine have since been retrenched and paid their terminal benefits.
The mine has since been put under care and maintenance.
Meanwhile, Mr. Chipungu has expressed disappointment with the negative response by youths in seeking to access funds under the Citizen Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC).
Mr Chipungu said in Mazabuka yesterday when he addressed youths at Mazabuka BOMA that government might consider withdrawing the money and channel the funds to other sectors of economy if Zambians are not interested in applying for the funds.
He was shocked to learn that many youths in Mazabuka had not applied for the funds when government had relaxed conditions on how to access the funds.
Mr Chipungu said in order for the youths and other people to access the funds, government has scrapped the application of fee of K 50,000.
He said this meant that people accessing CEEC application forms would not be required to pay for the forms..
Mr Chipungu also charged that it was regrettable to note that the K 10 Billion CEEC fund was still lying idle in the bank because people are not interested in applying for the funds.
And Speaking at the same function, Mazabuka District Commissioner, Tyson Hamaamba told the meeting that 23 applications have been approved for field appraisal by the CEEC while 31 have had their applications rejected for failing to meet the set conditions.
Mr. Hamaamba however said the rejected applicants had been given a second chance to perfect their business plans and correct other issues of raised by the appraisal team.
ENDS/HC/AM/ZANIS
Labels: ALBIDON, ALBIDON NICKLE MINE
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Albidon Mining suspends operations at Munali
Written by Fridah Zinyama
Friday, January 23, 2009 6:55:11 AM
ALBIDON Mining has suspended the development of the northern decline at its Munali nickel project saying the
current commodity prices on international markets do not warrant the capital expenditure on the project.
According to the Mining Weekly, the company explained that only lower-grade mining blocks at Munali would be accessed in the short term.
Nickel prices have tumbled to the current price of around US $4 per pound from a high of over US $8 per pound a couple of months ago.
“Further, restructuring of the Munali nickel project operations targeting significant cost reductions must be undertaken in order to render the project a viable concern at current nickel prices,” the company stated.
Instead, a revised mine plan, based on a single decline to the south, has been developed and adopted. The revised plan included the accelerated development and centralisation of the southern decline, targeting the higher-grade areas of the ore body.
It stated that the higher costs in the early part of 2009 reflected the need to rapidly develop the southern section of the Munali project, and to open the mine to achieve a production rate greater than 900,000 metric tonnes per year.
Ore production for 2009 was estimated at 675,000 metric tonnes at one per cent nickel, to a steady state production of 950,000 metric tonnes at one per cent nickel from 2010 onwards.
Albidon stated that production could be augmented in the future by developing and mining the northern area, when nickel prices made it economically viable to mine the lower grade area.
Ore production for the December 2008 quarter was below forecast, Albidon stated, with 85,562 tonnes, at 0.72 per cent mined, compared with the forecast of 115,000 tonnes, at 0.70 per cent.
“This was mainly due to breakdowns in underground equipment and lack of critical spares on a timely basis. This also impacted development and required lower grade or high magnesium oxide stopes to be accessed, rather than the planned higher grade or lower magnesium oxide stopes,” revealed Albidon.
Labels: ALBIDON, MUNALI NICKEL MINE
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Albidon earns from first sale of concentrate
Written by Chiwoyu Sinyangwe
Saturday, December 27, 2008 1:15:41 PM
ALBIDON has recorded its first revenue from the sale of concentrate from its Munali Nickel Project in Mazabuka.
According to a statement, Australian-based Albidon Limited described the development as a significant step in the transition from development to producer. The company did not, however, state the revenue realised from the transaction.
“In addition, Albidon is actively seeking to sell a parcel of low grade out of specification concentrate, produced during the beginning of commissioning of the concentrator, when mineralised waste was being fed into the concentrator,” the statement read in part.
It also stated that commissioning was progressing well, with the nameplate capacity of 900 000 tonnes per year being achieved on a number of occasions.
“Focus at Munali remained on increasing the processing facility throughout to nameplate capacity and once this was reached, it aimed to expand its targets to 1.2 million tonnes a year of ore mined, which would generate between 10,000 tonnes per year of nickel, in a high quality nickel copper cobalt platinum group metals concentrate,” further read the statement.
Demand from China for nickel and stainless steel has been relatively robust, with China expected to maintain a minimum growth rate of 7 to 8 per cent annually as compared to the recent 11 per cent.
Munali Nickel mine in Mazabuka is the country's first and sole nickel mine.
Labels: ALBIDON, MUNALI NICKEL MINE, NICKEL
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Albidon dismisses job loss reports
Written by Chiwoyu Sinyangwe
Wednesday, December 17, 2008 6:04:50 AM
ALBIDON Zambia Limited has dismissed media reports that job losses at the company’s Munali Nickel Project have risen from 53 as announced last week to 110.
Albidon Zambia Limited general manager Grant Pierce insisted the number of employees to be laid off in the restructuring process at the country’s sole nickel mine project following a 60 per cent drop in nickel prices in the last nine months was 53, as earlier reported.
Pierce, however, admitted that the exploration office in Cape Town and the office in Lusaka had been closed.
“I don’t know where the Bloomberg journalist got his information but it is incorrect. The number of employees was 53, as correctly reported in The Post last Tuesday. The exploration office in Cape Town and our office in Lusaka have been closed,” said Pierce.
Earlier this week, Bloomberg News reported that the Australian metals explorer cut 110 of its 260 workforce at its Munali Nickel Mine in Zambia after prices of the metal used in steelmaking slumped.
In a report citing information purportedly obtained from a statement Albidon sent to the Australian Stock Exchange, Bloomberg stated that the exploration office in Cape Town and Lusaka corporate office had been closed, while its Perth office is relocating to shared premises and that most exploration projects had been suspended.
Last week, Pierce told The Post that it was inevitable for the 100 per cent owned Albidon Mine of Australia to trim down its workforce to respond to the declining nickel prices.
Pierce stated that as much as the company regrets this turn of events, metal prices were beyond the company's control and rationalisation was inevitable if Albidon was to continue its operations at Munali for the benefit of all stakeholders.
Pierce stated that the company acted in accordance with Zambia’s labour laws.
Labels: ALBIDON, JOBLOSSES
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Albidon confirms uranium presence at Njame project
By Kabanda Chulu
Thursday March 13, 2008 [03:00]
ALBIDON Mining Zambia has confirmed the presence of high-grade uranium mineralisation at its Njame east project near Chirundu. Giving an update on the pre-feasibility studies that would be completed this month end,
Albidon Zambia on Monday stated that uranium resources at the
Chirundu joint venture with
African Energy Resources had increased by 25 per cent to reach 4,120 metric tonnes.
“The pre-feasibility study on the Njame and Gwabe deposits in the Chirundu joint venture is on schedule for completion by the end of March 2008 and an updated resource calculation for the Njame uranium deposit is in progress,” it stated.
Albidon indicated that the first uranium production was expected by the end of 2009.
However, mines minister Dr Kalombo Mwansa warned prospective uranium miners in Zambia that it was illegal to commence production because the government was still developing guidelines.
Mwansa said the government had devised guidelines to regulate the mining of uranium in the country and the guidelines had been sent to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for scrutiny and guidance. Following the recent discovery of uranium, there have been concerns that Zambia lacked capacity to control uranium mining in terms of storage, safety, security and transportation.
Albidon Mining has become the third company to discover uranium deposits after Equinox Minerals discovered uranium deposits at its Lumwana copper project in North Western Province and has since embarked on a Bankable Feasibility Study (BFS), whose outcome would decide the way forward.
The other company is Omega Corp Limited, whose uranium exploration operations in the Siavonga area have reached advanced stages, with company managing director Mathew Yates stating that metallurgical discoveries had resulted in new areas of uranium mineralisation at its Kariba Uranium Project (KUP).
Labels: ALBIDON, URANIUM
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New mining tax regime in line with international standards – IMF
By CHARLES MUSONDA
INTERNATIONAL Monetary Fund (IMF) top executives have said Zambia’s new mining tax regime is in line with international standards. IMF alternate executive director, Miranda Xafa, who was leading a team of directors on a study of the economic performance in Zambia, said the new tax changes were in order. “Before the government introduced changes in the mine taxes, Zambia was the lowest taxing country,” Ms Xafa said.
She said this in an interview shortly after members of the IMF board toured Albidon Zambia’s Munali Nickel Mine in Mazabuka on Monday. She said the Zambian government must ensure mines continued to be profitable and that the new taxes should not constrain investment in the sector. She said this was a specific area which the government must focus on when implementing the new taxes.
Ms Xafa said investment in the Munali Nickel Mine indicated that Zambia’s economy was transforming rapidly. She said the Zambian government must address the power deficit to ensure continue productivity in the mining and manufacturing sectors. “There is need to provide electricity not only for manufacturing industries but for households as well,” she said.
Albidon Zambia general manager for corporate affairs, Sixtus Mulenga, said Government’s fiscal and economic policies had enabled investment in the Munali Nickel Mine. Dr Mulenga paid tribute to the IMF for helping Government to create an enabling environment for economic development.
He said Albidon was ahead of schedule in developing the Munali Nickel Mine, which was scheduled to open mid this year. “Our achievements are above normal, and this is because of the technology that we have put in place. This mine will be the first in Zambia to use remote control vehicles to avoid accidents,” Dr Mulenga said.
Albidon was keen to meet the tight schedules set for opening the Munali mine, which he described as the fastest developing mine in the country.
Dr Mulenga said the company had employed over 1,000 people, primarily contractors, and 200 permanent workers, 80 per cent of whom were Zambians. He said the mine had few expatriates but Zambians would run it once production started. Dr Mulenga said the mine would be exporting nickel concentrates to its off-take partner, Jin Chuan of China, because there was no nickel smelter in Zambia.
“Developing a nickel smelter is one of the most expensive ventures in mining. It can cost you (between) US$100 million to US$300 million to develop a copper smelter, but it can cost you four to five times more to develop a nickel smelter,” he said.
Albidon would not face any power difficulties because it was constructing its own transmission line from Kafue Gorge power station. He added that floods had affected surface works but not underground mine development.
Labels: ALBIDON, IMF, MIRANDA XAFA
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Albidon confirms uranium mineralisation at Njame
By Kabanda Chulu
Monday January 14, 2008 [03:00]
ALBIDON Mining Zambia has confirmed the presence of uranium mineralisation at its Njame East uranium project near Chirundu. And AIM Resources managing director, Marc Flory, has said the company would commence drilling operations on its Mumbwa copper and gold project. In a statement to shareholders, Albidon stated that results were said to include the highest grade drill intersections recorded at the project to date.
”The additional drilling will also take place at Njame East to define the extent of potentially economic mineralisation and this drilling will start as soon as access conditions permit, once seasonal rains have ceased.
This discovery of mineralisation proves the potential for further mineralisation in areas proximal to the existing inferred resources at Njame North and further drilling to test these proximal areas is being planned," stated the company.
The Njame project forms part of the Chirundu joint-venture (JV) project with African Energy Resources. A prefeasibility study on the Njame and Gwabe uranium deposits was due for completion in the first quarter of 2008.
Albidon was also involved in nickel projects in Zambia’s Mazabuka district, Botswana and Tanzania, as well as a platinum Joint Venture in Tanzania, and a zinc exploration project in Tunisia.
And Flory stated that AIM Resources has engaged three drilling rigs to complete 13 cored holes for a total of about 9,100 metres at its copper and gold projects in Mumbwa district.
He explained that from the proposed 13 drill holes, the average hole depth would be 700 metres and samples would be routinely collected and analysed for copper, gold, uranium and a range of 14 other elements including cobalt, arsenic and silver.
"Based on previous results achieved in the last programme, we are looking forward to further advancing this exciting project and presenting these results as they become available," stated Flory.
Labels: ALBIDON, ALBIDON NICKLE MINE, URANIUM
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PF to lead fight for new constitution - Sata
By Noel Sichalwe and George Chellah
Friday April 20, 2007 [04:00]
Patriotic Front (PF) will now move to lead the fight for a new constitution, party president Michael Sata said yesterday. And police have permitted PF to hold rallies in Lusaka this weekend. During a press briefing at Lusaka's Taj Pamodzi Hotel, Sata said the issue of a new constitution was very critical. He said though he supported the Oasis Forum's stance on the constitution, there was need to have a clear way forward on the issue.
He said there was no need of going to court over the enactment of the new constitution as suggested by MMD spokesperson Benny Tetamashimba. Sata said the Oasis Forum could only go to court when there was an issue to challenge. He said the current Constitution had not changed since independence and that there was need to tighten loopholes with regard to the Constitutional offices and reduce the President's powers.
"PF is moving now to lead on the fight for a new, strong and effective constitution," he said.
Sata said police have allowed him to hold a series of rallies in Lusaka that would focus on the need to demand a new constitution and condemn the rampant thieving in government.
And Sata accused President Levy Mwanawasa of dubiously awarding land to Albidon Zambia in Mazabuka district to mine nickel. He said despite much opposition to the mining project, President Mwanawasa gave a deaf ear to the reservations raised and went ahead to officiate at the groundbreaking ceremony.
Sata said Zambians should benefit from the abundant natural resources. He said when PF assumes power, they would review such mining decisions or contracts.
Sata also said thieving in the current government was worse than what was in the Frederick Chiluba regime. He said President Mwanawasa's government was the worst in corruption due to the thieving that was being revealed.
Sata said Zambia was poorer than most countries it helped to fight for independence because workers spent more time stealing public funds. He said the new Constitution would restrict the thieving pattern and that money would be used for the intended projects.
Sata also said the three indigenous banks - Finance Bank, Cavmont Capital Bank and Investrust Bank should have syndicated to purchase the 49 per cent shares in Zambia National Commercial Bank (ZNCB) instead of selling to Rabobank of Netherlands.
Sata said further the problem in Zimbabwe was British Prime Minister Tony Blair and United States President George W. Bush’s.
He said Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe fought for his people's independence but that Britain and US were against him because of the 1,800 white farmers from whom he has grabbed the farms.
Sata also held a minute of silence for the students that were shot dead at a university in Virginia State of the US and the death of senior chief Puta of the Bwile people in Luapula Province.
Labels: ALBIDON, CONSTITUTION, CORRUPTION, LAND, MINING CONTRACTS, MUGABE, PF, SATA, ZIMBABWE
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