ZCCM-IH Hands Over Water Borehole To Lukwipa Community In Rufunsa

ZCCM Investment Holdings (ZCCM-IH) has donated a solar powered water borehole and a 10, 000 litre water tank to the Lukwipa Community in Rufunsa District. The donation has been made as a part of the ZCCM-IH “Clean Water for Zambia” initiative born from the United Nations Sixth Sustainable Development Goal to provide clean water and sanitation to all by 2030.

Handing over the borehole to the Lukwipa Community, ZCCM-IH Chief Financial Officer, Ms. Chilandu Sakala, said the installation of the solar powered borehole in Lukwipa is a demonstration of ZCCM-IH’s social corporate responsibility of value creation in the communities that the company invests in.

“As a company, we deliberately balance the support we give through our corporate social responsibility activities to communities where value creation of the company’s investments exists, and other areas not necessarily directly connected to where a ZCCM-IH asset or investment is located. We strongly believe that areas that we do not have direct business interests should also be included in our CSR activities so that all Zambians can benefit from the company’s operations.” ZCCM-IH in collaboration with its subsidiary, Zambia Gold Company Limited (ZGC) are currently carrying out exploration works in Rufunsa District and are committed to ensure that benefits of their presence in Rufunsa are delivered to the community.

Her Royal Highness Chieftainess Mpanshya, and Rufunsa District Commissioner, Mr. Richard Mabena graced the event held in Mika village.

Chieftainess Mpanshya expressed happiness that ZCCM-IH had installed and officially handed over the borehole. “When touring my chiefdom, I noticed that there was a great challenge of water in the community, and this borehole will ease the hardships that were faced before its installation” said Chieftainess Mpanshya who further urged the community to look after the borehole and protect it from vandalism or theft of the solar panels in particular. 

Also speaking at the handover event, Rufunsa District Commissioner, Mr.  Richard Mabena urged any would be investors and those operating in the area to invest in the community as part of their corporate social responsibility obligation. Mr. Mabena said such investments would help improve the living standard of the local community. He noted that there was a lot of charcoal burning and deforestation in the area, which would now be averted by the availability of water in the area for farming and other activities.

The water borehole was officially handed over and commissioned by ZCCM-IH Board member Bishop John Mambo in the company of Mrs Chilandu Sakala and Zambia Gold Company members of staff. ZCCM-IH has sunk three solar powered boreholes in the Rufunsa area that are equipped each with a ten thousand litre tank and tank stand, all valued at a combined cost of 862,000.00 Zambian Kwacha.

Konkola: Key to hitting 3 million tonnes copper target

The new dawn government of President Hakainde Hichilema has set its vision clearly when it comes to copper mining – it wants to ramp up production to three million tonnes per annum in the next decade.

With current production standing around 800,000 metric tonnes (mt) per annum, it is quite an ambitious plan – too ambitious, some in the industry have argued.
But there is good motivation for such efforts – an expected huge demand for copper driven by the nascent electric car industry, and the price for the red metal, which peaked above US$10,000 per tonne about two years ago.

Copper prices reached an all-time high of US$10,512 per metric tonne on May 9, 2021, but have receded to about US$8,000 in the recent past, which is still a good price for copper producing countries such as Zambia.

Some mining companies in the country are already responding accordingly to the prospect of high demand, making new investments to increase production. But one major player, Konkola Copper Mines (KCM), cannot rush to the table yet, held back by

 

Read more: http://www.daily-mail.co.zm/konkola-key-to-hitting-3-million-tonnes-copper-target/

KCM team wins national mine-rescue competition

Konkola Copper Mines Plc (KCM) mine rescue teams have emerged winners of the 2022 national mine rescue competition, a dress-rehearsal undertaken to ascertain the preparedness of underground mine rescue teams to manage major mine accidents in the mining sector.

The annual event, which was held for five days from July 25, 2022 at the Victoria Falls Hydro-Power Station in Livingstone, comprised nine underground mine rescue teams from KCM, Mopani Copper Mines (MCM), NFCA, CNMC Luanshya, Lubambe Copper Mines and Mabiza Resources Nickel Mine.

The participants are assessed on various critical requirements in mine rescue such as fitness, team-work, firefighting and life-saving techniques, as well as disaster management.

KCM’s Nchanga Team C emerged overall winners of the national final heat competition, which is organized by the Zambia Mines Rescue Association (ZMRA).

The KCM Nchanga Team C scored 179.4 points in the tightly contested final heat where another KCM team Konkola Team A came out second with 179.1 points. Last year’s winners Lubambe Copper Mine Team B were in third position with 177.3 points.

KCM Group Safety Manager Operations Felix Sikaonga said the performance of the KCM teams underlined the Company’s priority placing Safety ahead of production and also an indication that the safety teams had not dropped the bar despite being away from the competition for three years.

Mr Sikaonga said, “We last participated in the final heat competition in 2018 where Nchanga C won the competition. They have replicated that victory, which is proof of the Company’s robust safety standards. It reinforces our continuous focus on safety trainings and other internal measures intended to safeguard life and our assets.” “KCM will continue to play a part in ensuring safety is upheld in all out operations as we also keep exchanging global best practices with our peers in order to make Zambia mining and communities in and around mining areas safe havens,” he said.

The KCM team, which won the 2018 competition is scheduled to represent Zambia at the 2022 International Mine Rescue Competition (IMRC) in West Virginia, USA in September, after the resumption of the international competition derailed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Nchanga C team, the winners of the year’s final will again represent the country with two other teams from Mopani and Lubambe who won in 2019, 2020 and 2021 respectively, in the international competitions which will be held in Colombia next year.

“These are exciting times in the sense that it is the first time that a KCM team will represent the country in an international mine rescue competition. We are confident of an award[1]winning performance from the KCM team,” he said.

This is contained in a statement issued by KCM General Manager Corporate Affairs Shapi Shachinda.

 

Source: https://tiozambia.com/kcm-team-wins-national-mine-rescue-competition/

Zambia secures its stake in the EV battery Market

The Kalumbila district in the North western province of Zambia is endowed with vast mineral deposits such as copper, cobalt, gold and now nickel, a key element in the manufacturing of lithium iron batteries, using electric car vehicles.

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema has recently launched the Enterprise Nickel Mine. The project owned by First Quantum Minerals in Kalumbila district carries a significance of providing raw materials for the production of electric motor vehicle batteries. Once up and running, First Quantum Minerals’ (FQM) mine will be the largest producer of the strategic metal in Africa. Nickel, like lithium, cobalt, and copper, is an essential component in the batteries essential for the new era of ‘green’ vehicles.

“I would like to thank First Quantum for the decision to invest $1.35bn in the expansion of Kansanshi…and to raise additional capital for Enterprise,” said President Hichilema at the ground breaking ceremony for the mine.

“This investment, $1.3bn, will deliver direct and indirect jobs, somewhere in the region of 18,000; and in this country, colleagues, one job supports 10 other members of the family in the house or extended. So if you do your numbers correctly, 18,000 by 10, it’s 180,000 people benefitting. That is where the value sits. So thank you First Quantum,” he added.

Designed to process 4 million tonnes of ore and produce around 28,000 tonnes of nickel per year, Enterprise will provide an estimated 700 permanent jobs while making Zambia the largest nickel producer on the continent and the 10th largest producer of the highly sought-after mineral in the world. Hichilema says development will also help the country make the vision of moving into a clean and environmental friendly nation a reality.

Traditional leaders who have overseen the setting up of the nickel mine met President to voice their concerns. “We are in the suggestion that at least 15% of the revenue collected in these mining activities must remain in the province for development in order to mitigate the negative impacts that arise from mining” Chief Munema of the Kaonde People, in the North Western Province.

FQM announced the company’s US$100 million investment into the project at the African Mining Indaba in May, where President Hichilema welcomed the investment and reaffirmed his desire to see more partnerships like this that would turn Zambia into a hub for development and secure the country’s place in the electric vehicle (EV) battery ecosystem.

The nickel processing plant, which was completed in 2016 and given environmental approval, has sat on care and maintenance awaiting favourable market conditions since then. Now, with the global push for a green energy transition, rising demand for metals like nickel that are integral to the shift, and a new, favourable mining regime, the timing is just right for the nickel operation to finally be fired up.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, FQM CEO Tristan Pascall said: “If the last few years have taught us anything, it is that stability is paramount. As key players in an industry where geopolitical security is so important, the hard work that Zambia has put into protecting that peace and stability does not go unnoticed. Zambia certainly is a prime investment destination for us.

“With over a quarter century of experience under our belt, we appreciate the importance of working hand-in-hand with stakeholders and aligning with government mandates. Soon to become our third operation here, Enterprise project is in our books, a vote of confidence from – and for – the Zambian government and the Zambian people. It is a vote of confidence in our continued transparency, responsibility, and operational excellence.” said Pascal.

This leap to secure Zambia’s stake in the EV battery market will not only shift the country’s economic dependence from copper but will also unlock fresh opportunities for business and innovation in the nickel value chain.

Source: https://www.miningreview.com/nickel/zambia-secures-its-stake-in-the-ev-battery-market/

Zambia and DRC partnering in battery production

Use of electric vehicles is gaining traction worldwide due to their low carbon footprint. The governments of Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are partnering to invest in production of lithium-ion batteries which power these electric vehicles (EVs).

Zambia and DRC have vibrant mining sectors. They form part of the so called “Copper belt” which stretches from the Central African Republic, the DRC and Zambia. This region accounts for the world’s largest supply for cobalt, a mineral used in the production of lithium-ion batteries.

A June 2020 report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) predicts that some 23 million electric vehicles will be sold over the coming decade. “The market for rechargeable car batteries, currently estimated at $ 7 billion, is forecast to rise to $ 58 billion by 2024,” the UN report says.

Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, a body that researches and publishes market data on the lithium-ion battery and EVs supply chain, states that global demand for cobalt has tripled since 2011 in the battery sector alone. It further predicts that demand for cobalt will reach 190,000 metric tons by 2026.

Whereas the precious metal cobalt is sourced largely from the DRC and Zambia, refining and value addition to the metal takes place elsewhere, in countries such as Belgium, China, Finland and Norway. Zambia has advanced its manufacturing sector with potential to produce car batteries.

For this reason, the southern Africa country has sought for a partnership with its neighbour DRC to boost their mining and manufacturing sectors to be able to take advantage of the global demand for cobalt and lithium-ion batteries. By doing so, they hope to shorten supply lines between cobalt refineries and battery-making plants.

The two governments recently signed a memorandum of understanding; “Zambia–DRC Battery Council” which they hope will make them massive producers and refiners of cobalt for electric vehicle batteries. “Our focus is job creation for the people of our two countries through economic diversification, job and wealth creation for the economic and social transformation of our citizens,” said president Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia when he signed the agreement in Lusaka alongside his DRC counterpart president Felix Tshisekedi.

The move by the two countries has received support from environmentalists and climate change activists who see it as a step in the right direction. “If our country effectively mines cobalt and copper for the electric vehicle battery value chain, it’s going to be a win for Zambia, a win for the EVs industry and a win for the environment as we look to cut fossil-fuel emissions on a global scale,” said Robert Chimambo, a local environmental activist.

Zambia’s foreign affairs and international cooperation minister Stanley Kakubo expressed support for the partnership saying: “The joint Zambia-DRC battery precursor initiative has a vision to create a competitive electric vehicle battery value chain aimed towards sustainable development and inclusive growth. It is in line with the country’s development aspirations to bring about a more diversified and industrialised economy which will contribute towards job creation and the improvement of the Zambian people’s livelihoods.”

Several Chinese, Japanese, US and European automakers have assembly plants in South Africa for traditional cars but electric car producers like Tesla are absent. It is only hoped that as EVs become more popular and initiatives like that of Zambia and DRC take off, the situation will change.

 

Source: https://www.dandc.eu/en/article/zambia-and-drc-hope-become-massive-producers-and-refiners-cobalt-electric-vehicle-batteries

Job Advertisement: Internal Audit Manager, Internal Auditor

ZCCM Investments Holdings PLC is a company with diversified interests in mining, energy and other sectors of the Zambian economy.  The Company’s majority shareholder is the Industrial Development Corporation Ltd (IDC), an investment company wholly owned by the Zambian Government and the rest of the shareholders include institutions and private shareholders spread across the world.

The Company intends to fill some vacant positions in its subsidiaries namely Misenge Environmental & Technical Services (METS) and Zambia Gold Company Ltd:

INTERNAL AUDIT MANAGER – ZAMBIA GOLD COMPANY LTD (Lusaka)

Zambia Gold Company Limited is a Zambian company that oversees the mining, processing, refining and marketing of gold.  Its operations are based in Mwinilunga, North-Western Province.

INTERNAL AUDITOR – MISENGE ENVIRONMENTAL & TECHNICAL SERVICES (Kalulushi)

Misenge Environmental and Technical Services Ltd (METS) is a 100% owned subsidiary of ZCCM-IH based in Kalulushi on the Copperbelt. It is a multifaceted full-service company whose core competencies are environmental management, particularly in the mining and mineral processing industry in Zambia.

Please refer to the link below for detailed information about the jobs:

Applications together with copies of certificates and detailed curriculum vitae should reach the undersigned not later than 22nd July 2022

Chief Human Resource & Administration Officer
ZCCM Investments Holdings Plc
ZCCM IH Office Park
P O Box 30040
LUSAKA

 

ZCCM-IH predicts a sharp rise of copper price on the LME this December

Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines-Investment Holdings (ZCCM-IH) has predicted a sharp increase in the price of copper on the London Metal Exchange ( LME ) by the end of the year.

The current price of copper on the international market is 7,800 dollars per ton.

ZCCM-IH Corporate Communications Manager, Loisa Kakoma is hopeful that the price of the commodity will rise to about 9 thousand United States dollars per tonne.

On the sidelines of the Agriculture and Commercial Show at the Showgrounds in Lusaka, Ms. Kakoma however says the current price of copper is still favourable.

“With the geopolitical activities happening in Europe and the supply and demand in China and all, the COVID-19 pandemic which has had an effect on the prices on the global market.

“ As you know, the copper industry is very cyclical in nature, and all these events that are happening globally have been affecting the supply and demand,” she said.

The ZCCM-IH Corporate Communications Manager said the parastatal is drawing confidence from the soon to commence electric car battery industry which relies heavily on copper.

Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo signing a Memorandum of Understanding to explore Electric Car Batteries.

Meanwhile, ZCCM-IH says Mopani Copper Mines is expected to increase production to 250, 000 metric from the current 80, 000 metric tonnes per annum.

The Corporate Communications Manager Ms. Kakoma said once the expansion projects are complete, the increase in production will come into effect.

“On average per annum, we are doing about 80 thousand metric tons per annum. Once the expansion project is fully executed, it will go to a capacity of 250 thousand metric tons,” she said.

80 thousand tons of 250 thousand tons per annum.

Government through ZCCM-IH has since last year owned 100 percent shares in Mopani Copper mines.

 

Source: https://www.lusakatimes.com/2022/07/31/zccm-ih-predicts-a-sharp-rise-of-copper-price-on-the-lmc-this-december/

Request for EOI – Feasibility Study into setting a Synthetic Gypsum Plant

TERMS OF REFERENCE: TO CONDUCT A FEASIBILITY STUDY INTO SETTING UP A SYNTHETIC GYPSUM PLANT.

1.0 BACKGROUND

ZCCM Investments Holdings Plc (ZCCM-IH) intends to pursue the manufacturing of synthetic gypsum as part of its commodity diversification and value addition strategy. As such, the Feasibility Study (FS) of setting up the proposed Synthetic Gypsum Manufacturing Plant within Zambia. The proposed Synthetic Gypsum Manufacturing Plant should be able to make use of the key inputs (limestone and sulphuric acid) that are readily available from the local sources in its operations.

It is envisaged that the proposed synthetic gypsum plant should be able to satisfy the demands of local cement companies and to supply to other industries for the manufacture of glass, plaster, drywall and fertilizers among others.

Read the full document here: Request for EOI – Feasibility Study Synthetic Gypsum Plant – Re-advertised – July 2022

CEC and Zesco sign billion dollar deal

Zesco has signed a 13-year Bulk Supply Agreement with the Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC) worth 1.9 billon US dollars.

Speaking at a press briefing, Zesco Managing Director Victor Mapani said the new Bulk Supply Agreement marks the replacement of the old agreement which expired on March 31, 2020.

Mr Mapani said the Bulk Supply Agreement allows the two parties to supply power to customers within the country across each other’s networks.

He also said the development will ensure the territorial exclusivity clauses that existed in the previous agreement are addressed.

 

Source: https://tiozambia.com/cec-and-zesco-sign-billion-dollar-deal/

Mopani Copper Mines launches website and social media platforms

Mopani Copper Mines PLC is thrilled to announce the launch of its website – https://mopani.com.zm/, and social media platforms on Facebook, LinkedIn, Google Business and Youtube.

The social media pages are available on the following links:

The website and social media accounts are aimed at providing the public with enhanced access to timely information about the Company’s operations, new developments and various ongoing corporate social responsibility programmes.

Launching the Company’s new digital media platforms, Mopani Copper Mines PLC Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Charles Sakanya says, “Mopani has been operating for 22 years without a presence on these digital platforms, and thus the launch of the new website and social media channels is long overdue in getting people to understand our Vision, Mission and Operating Philosophy, which will make it easier for them to fit into our new way of doing things as a Proudly Zambian Owned Mining Company”.

Mr. Sakanya further states, “Mopani believes that corporate communication is a strategic factor for the governance of our Company. And that is why we are moving towards a proactive stakeholder conscious governance model where communication is concerned to ensure corporate accountability and transparency”.

He has since invited all stakeholders to visit and explore the new website and follow the Company on its social media pages.

The website is designed to offer the ultimate user-friendly experience with easy navigation and functionality while allowing visitors to see the full portfolio of Mopani’s operations. Created with the user experience in mind, the website includes several features to help users to quickly and easily navigate the site and find the information or images that they need. These features include:

  • Operations: provides an up-to-date overview of all our Mining and Processing facilities as well as ongoing Expansion Projects as the future of the mine.
  • Services: provides essential information on our Medical, Education and World-class Laboratory facilities and services.
  • CSR: profiles our award-winning robust community investment programme across the eight (8) thematic areas of our focus.
  • Careers: details all available vacancies, procedures for submitting applications and the respective due dates.
  • Commercial: provides a one-stop-shop for our Supply Chain programme inter-linked to our Supplier Portal with a step-by-step guidance on the Vendor Registration and Categorisation Process.

 

Released by:
Public Relations Manager
Phone: 0212247889
E-mail: public.relations@mopani.com.zm