Denison to open uranium mine in Siavonga
Written by Chiwoyu Sinyangwe
Wednesday, September 02, 2009 8:49:02 PM
DENISON Mines Zambia Limited has announced plans to open a uranium mine in Siavonga with an initial investment estimated at US $118 million.
According to the review of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) report and associated resettlement action plan submitted by Denison Mines Zambia Limited for the proposed uranium mining project to Environmental Council of Zambia (ECZ), the proposed projects would be at Mutanga and Dibwe to be mined by open pit.
The EIS stated that the ore from the said open pits would be subsequently processed into uranium oxide concentrate for export.
“Denison Mines Zambia Limited intends to mine uranium ore from the Mutanga and Dibwe open pits in Siavonga district,” the EIS read in part. “The project will develop two open pits, one at Mutanga covering approximately 33 hectares and the other at Dibwe covering approximately 54.3 hectares. The Mutanga open pit will be 750m long and 550m wide. The Dibwe open pit will be developed approximately 10 kilometres southwest of the Mutanga pit and will be 1,550 metres long and 350 metres wide. The investment cost of the project is estimated to be US $118 million.”
During the mine operations, approximately 107 households would be displaced from surrounding settlements which include Chiyobeka, Kasambo, Sinangosi, Kapita, Chilundu and Kumulilansolo villages.
Following the recent approval of new regulations to guide uranium mining activities by the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency, the Ministry of Mines started issuing uranium mining licences to foreign companies.
Among the companies that are actively involved in uranium mining in the country included Lumwana Mining Company, Munali mines and Denison Mines Zambia Limited.
Labels: DENISON MINE, EIS, SIAVONGA, URANIUM
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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
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Construction of Konkola North mine to start
By Chiwoyu Sinyangwe
Tuesday May 20, 2008 [04:00]
Construction of Konkola North Mine and a 125 000 tonnes concentrator by Konnoco Zambia Limited is nearing as the mining company has already submitted an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). According to the EIS, Konnoco has identified inferred mineral resources of 78.8 million tonnes of 2.14 per cent copper in the northern sector for large-scale mining licence of Konkola north area.
The statement which was prepared by SRK Consulting engineers and scientists of South Africa stated that power supply for the mine would be sourced through the Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC).
“The concentrator would process about 125 000 tonnes per month of copper sulfide and the oxide concentrate will be sold to a third part for toll processing. Konnoco has conducted feasibility study to recommission the existing shaft and developing a concentrator plants and associated infrastructure on site,” stated the EIS.
Konkola North Mine and Concentrator project is being promoted by Konnoco Zambia Limited which is an indirectly owned subsidiary of Teal Explorations and Mining Incorporated while the project is subjected to buy-in right of up to 20 per cent including five per cent carried interest by Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines Investment Holdings (ZCCM-IH).
Teal Explorations and Mining Incorporated acquired large-scale mining licence No. 20 for the Konkola North project in 1997 and the licence confers exclusive rights to Konnoco for a period of 23 years.
Labels: EIS, KCM, MINING
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