. Ngimbu

By SYLVESTER MWALE –
THE Zambia Environment Management Agency (ZEMA) has said Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) has not returned the highly arsenic copper concentrates which has been rejected for processing in Zambia.
ZEMA acting director general Maxwell Nkoya said the toxic substance was still in the country waiting for the completion of necessary legal and logistic processes.
The toxic substance was imported in May this year from Chile in South America by KCM for processing but the mining giant has been stopped and ordered to immediately return the consignment.
Mr Nkoya said in response to a Press query that the regulatory board was closely monitoring the situation and would inform the nation once the concentrate was returned as per directive.
“I wish to advise that the copper concentrate containing arsenic at Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) is still in the country and yet to be shipped out of the country.
“You may wish to note that prior to movement of the said consignment from Zambia, a number of logistical and legal requirements need to be completed prior to the dispatch of the said copper concentrate,” he said.
Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Minister Christabel Ngimbu, who announced the ban of the consignment last month, said the decision had been arrived at after the inspection revealed that it contained four per cent of arsenic.
The levels of Arsenic found in the consignment were seven times more than that found in copper concentrates in Zambia which averaged around 0.5 per cent.
Ms Ngimbu said the elevated levels of Arsenic would pose a serious environmental, health and safety risks owing to the toxic nature of the substance.
She directed that relevant Government agencies, including ZEMA, should closely monitor the situation as the mining firm returned the consignment.
Ms Ngimbu called on all companies in the country to adhere to operational laws on the importation of goods that were toxic in nature.
KCM public relations and communications manager Shapi Shachinda was recently quoted in some quarters of the media that the copper mining giant had engaged the Government to find ways of processing the concentrate without the potential devastating impact.