President Hakainde Hichilema recently commissioned the process of de-watering the flooded 28 Shaft at Chinese-owned CNMC Luanshya Copper Mines in Luanshya.

The pumping out of water from 28 Shaft will pave the way for the commencement of actual copper mining at the site which has been dormant for over 20 years.

According to CNMC Luanshya Copper Mines – Manager Corporate Affairs – Sydney Chileya, the $500 Million project will see water pumped out from 14 and 18 Shafts that are aligned to the famous 28 Shaft.

Mr. Chileya has revealed that the process of pumping out water from the three shafts is expected to commence on April 29 and will last between 18 and 21 months.

At the peak of the project about 3000 jobs are anticipated to be created.

“That project will create about 3000 jobs in total, which will be about 1,800 direct jobs and 1,200 contractual jobs. The 28 shaft is going to have its own concentrator, so we are constructing a concentrator about two to three kilometers away from 28 Shaft. That is a treatment plant for the copper to be coming from 28 Shaft,” Mr. Chileya told Radio Icengelo News.