Kansanshi Mining Plc has flagged off the 2019/2020 farming season by releasing farming inputs to more than 7,400 farmers in Solwezi and the surrounding areas in North-Western Province.

Solwezi District Commissioner Rosemary Kamalonga, who flagged off the 2019/2020 farming season, said government recognized the importance that Kansanshi Mining Plc attached to uplifting people’s living standards.

She said it was relieving to note that Kansanshi Mining Plc, which had trained more than 36,000 farmers under its Conservation Farming Programme, had continued to distribute farming inputs to farmers supported by the mine’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) wing.

“Government is happy with its current partnership with Kansanshi Mining Plc in the crusade to improve food security through concerted efforts to ensure that agriculture assumes its rightful position as an alternative to mining and that Solwezi alone can be a food basket for Zambia,” Kamalonga said.

She added that the government equally recognized the mining company’s efforts to meet various community needs and extend social services to the people.

Kamalonga expressed government’s gratitude to what Kansanshi Mining Plc had done to empower residents in Solwezi and surrounding areas.

Kansanshi Foundation Supervisor Maximillian Katanga explained that 12,600 bags each of D Compound, Urea and seed respectively were ready for distribution to local farmers.

“Farmers pay K425 towards the inputs comprising a 50Kg bag of Urea, a 50Kg bag of D Compound and 10Kg bag maize seed to which Kansanshi adds the balance for each farmer so that they can manage to complete one lima of crops. 300 tonnes of lime has also been distributed to farmers, free of charge, with a view to boosting their yields,” explained Katanga.

Solwezi District Agriculture Coordinating Officer (DACO) Muyobo Shimabale also expressed gratitude for being part of the programme and thanked Kansanshi Mining Plc for supplementing what the Ministry of Agriculture was doing.

“I wish to encourage farmers to continue practicing conversation farming as it is in tune with climate change. When conversation farming is practiced, even in low rainfall periods, farmers are able to get the best results,” Shimabale said.

One of the beneficiaries of the farming inputs, Victoria Musumali, who produced 48 bags of maize from one lima during the 2018/2019 farming season, thanked Kansanshi Mine for the input support because she was able to feed her family and sell surplus maize to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) and pay for her children’s school fees, among other needs for the family.

Kansanshi Mine provides training in farming’s best practice to farmers, farming input loans and close monitoring of the farmers’ activities to ensure maximum returns from their farming projects.

The model applied in the farming practices strictly observed sustainable permaculture rotation of maize, soya and groundnuts with minimum tillage, the use of mulch and early planting.

LUSAKA, ZAMBIA – First Quantum Minerals has recorded a 39 per cent increase in production at its Sentinel mine in the first quarter of 2018, compared with the same period of last year.

While the company’s Kansanshi smelter at Solwezi exceeded its target for the quarter, with 350,591 tonnes of concentrate processed.
The mining firm has also reported comparative earnings of US$49 million, even after a US$121 million loss realised under a programme to hedge copper sales, for which no tax credit is available.

“We are pleased with the quarter’s results in all aspects of the company. The solid performances at our Zambian operations are of particular note considering the severity of the seasonal rains,” noted FQM Chairman and CEO Philip Pascall, after the company released its first quarter 2018 financial and operating results on Thursday.

In executing several proactive measures to strengthen the balance sheet and improve liquidity, the global mining company FQM  ended the quarter with US$810 million in net unrestricted cash and cash equivalents, US$1,670 million of committed undrawn facilities and in full compliance with all financial covenants.

The mining firm has also put in place a new US$400 million five-year term facility agreement in the subsidiary that owns the Sentinel mine. Repayments are scheduled to start in December 2019.

The mining firm also completed a US$1.85 billion senior note programme, which will be used to repay an existing term loan facility, the outstanding balance on a revolving credit debt facility, fees associated with the offering and for general corporate purposes.

“With the reduction in our copper forward sales contracts, the value of maintaining our capital investment programme through a challenging economic environment is becoming more visible. The significant turnaround in our financial results from a year ago is indicative of First Quantum’s enhanced earnings and cash generating capability. This is expected to grow substantially when Cobre Panama begins commercial operations,” said Mr Pascall, referring to the company’s massive US$5.48 billion Cobre Project in Panama, which will become one of the largest copper mines in the world.

“While we had several successes in the quarter, we also had a few challenges. Such occurrences are not unexpected in the resource industry with the onset of improved commodity prices and sentiment. While this can be momentarily distracting, these matters do get resolved through open discussion and transparency which we are committed to,” Mr. Pascall concluded.

-Ends-

About First Quantum Minerals Ltd
First Quantum Minerals Ltd is a global metals and mining company producing mainly copper, gold, nickel and zinc. The company’s assets are located in Zambia, Spain, Mauritania, Australia, Finland, Turkey, Panama, Argentina and Peru.
In 2017, First Quantum produced 573,963 tonnes of copper, 199,736 ounces of gold and 17,837 tonnes of nickel.
In Zambia it operates the Kansanshi mine – the largest copper mine in Africa – and smelter and the Sentinel mine in Kalumbila.
The company is listed on the Lusaka and Toronto stock exchanges.
https://www.first-quantum.com/

Source: LANGMEAD & BAKER

ZCCM Investments Holdings PLC (“ZCCM-IH”) Files a Notice of Arbitration against Kansanshi Holdings Limited and Kansanshi Mining PLC.

On 26 October 2016, ZCCM-IH filed a Notice of Arbitration in London against Kansanshi Holdings Limited and Kansanshi Mining PLC for various Claims arising from transactions between Kansanshi Mining Plc and FQM Finance Limited. ZCCM-IH applied to the Arbitral Tribunal to bring a derivative claim on behalf of Kansanshi Mining PLC which application was heard on 10-12 January 2018.

Further to the Cautionary Renewal released by ZCCM-IH on 6th February 2018, regarding these matters and in compliance with the requirements of the Securities Act No 41 of 2016 and the General Obligations of Disclosure under the Continuing Obligations of the Listings Requirements of the Lusaka Securities Exchange, shareholders are informed that on 22nd February the Tribunal denied ZCCM-IH permission to bring its proposed derivative claim on behalf of Kansanshi Mining PLC.

On 22nd March 2018, following the award denying permission, ZCCM-IH filed an Arbitration Claim in the Commercial Court in London applying to challenge the award dated 22nd February 2018.

Shareholders of ZCCM-IH are accordingly advised to exercise caution when dealing in securities of the Company until further information is published.

By Order of the Board
Chabby Chabala
Company Secretary

Issued in Lusaka, Zambia on Tuesday, 10th April 2018

Lusaka Securities Exchange Sponsoring Broker
	T | +260-211-232456 E | advisory@sbz.com.zm W | www.sbz.com.zm Stockbrokers Zambia Limited (SBZ) is a founder member of the Lusaka Securities Exchange and is regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Zambia

First Issued on 1 November 2016

The mining town of Solwezi, 633 Kilometres North West of Zambia’s capital Lusaka, has been transformed into an active centre of business eyeing markets beyond borders.

Host to three mining giant outlets, Kansanshi, Lumwana Kalumbila, the provincial capital is attracting trade from neighbouring Angola in the west and Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in the North.

Until recently Kalumbila mine was part of Solwezi but the government has hived it off from there creating a new district all together.

“But even then Solwezi still has a foothold in there (Kalumbila) in that every little thing that residents of Kalumbila need they have to travel here,” said a local trader Amon Bwembya Kikupa.

Within a few years, three shopping malls have sprung up along a litany of development structures from hotels, lodges, and filling stations to new restaurants.

A new civic centre building has been constructed while many government blocks have been rehabilitated if not replaced by modern ones.

A number of banks have set up camp there while those who moved earlier have opened up new buildings.

A recently constructed $2million City mall just on the edge of the town towards Kasempa and Mwinilunga roads has not only added impetus to the status of the district but has given a complete new outlook of the former low level rural town.

Like many parts of Zambia Solwezi has witnessed a housing construction boom that has wiped out huge areas of idle land including some shanty townships and replaced them with new modern housing units.

As mining thrives in the area other businesses are proportionally sprouting locally and spilling activities into neighbouring Angola and the DRC.

Since the Angolan civil war ended followed by a long period of tranquil Angola has embarked a countrywide reconstruction programme which has benefitted even some Zambians who have gone to work there.

On their part Zambians have stepped up trade in foodstuffs such as eggs, Tomatoes and other vegetables in need in the former Portuguese colony.

To enhance trade deals and cement cultural relations between the two countries the office for the Angolan Consular general has been opened in Solwezi.

The office has played a critical role in helping refugees wishing to return home.

On the other side, the 160 Kilometre stretch from Solwezi to Kipushi, the Congolese border town is a hive of activity as cross border trade thrives people of Kolwezi in the DRC and Solwezi in Zambia.

The North western province as a whole has in recent years seen an increase in maize production and residents of Kipushi and other border areas are beneficiaries of the grain sold to communities through informal and formal deals.

Beans and sorghum are common delicacies from Solwezi and the rest of the province found among consumers in the DRC.

A North Western Province Chamber of Commerce official said an interview recently the organization was working with the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) to enhance business liaison between Angola. Zambia and the DRC, through trade missions.

Beyond that the DRC enjoys the largest swathe of copper-rich land called the Lufilian Arc which borders with Zambia.

The arch extends from Copperbelt and North Western province into DRC’s Katanga province . Solwezi lies within this arch while on the other side there is Kolwezi, thus the mining activities in the arch have therefore strengthened relationships between peoples of the two countries.

It is common to find trucks ferrying huge mining equipment from South Africa using the Solwezi –Kipushi route into the DRC.

Similarly a lot of mineral exports are funneled from the DRC through Solwezi to the Copperbelt onward to further South.

A recent visit to Solwezi however, revealed that a lot more is needed to make more accessible the north western province, dubbed the new Copperbelt,

Within the district civic leaders under the now adopted decentralization policy, have serious challenges to improve roads.

Resources have to be mobilized from mining companies there and other operators to achieve the task.

Except for the main highway that runs in the middle of the city centre, and about a 10 Kilometre stretch from the main road to Kansanshi mine most of the roads are not tarred, thus glazing the positive development the town has seen in recent years.

Source: Herald Express

Amidst lacklustre global commodity prices Zambia’s largest copper mine, Kansanshi, has opted to renew its fleet of blast hole drill rigs with more efficient and reliable Sandvik D25KS and DP1500i drill rigs.

In the face of tough times in the Zambian copper mining industry, Rob McMaster, key account manager for First Quantum Minerals Sandvik Zambia says, mining contractor, First Quantum Mining & Operations (FQMO), have taken a progressive step to ensure improved efficiency and reliable production by renewing their DR500 fleet with Sandvik D25KS and DP1500i drills that are easier to maintain and operate on site.

He adds that Sandvik has entered into a buy-back agreement with FQMO to trade in the company’s 11 Sandvik DR500 series fleet that are used for blast hole and pre-split drilling in preference for the 9 new Sandvik D25KS rigs and 4 new Sandvik DP1500i rigs. The bundled deal makes the transaction more affordable and is in-line with FQMO’s overall objectives.

Efficient production

“We work closely with our customers to ensure operations are run optimally at all times. When circumstances change and a mine’s requirements are altered along with it, then we do our utmost to restructure equipment and fleets in such a way that the customer’s new needs are met. This is precisely what we have done at Kansanshi where we are proud to deliver a solution that is tailored to Kansanshi’s current and changing future requirements. The new Sandvik D25KS and DP1500i drill rigs are machines that will require less maintenance and specialised care than the predecessors.”

“They are also hardworking and well-suited to the current conditions in the mine, so are expected to deliver many years of reliable service with the highest levels of availability throughout as have the previously supplied D45KS, D25KS and DP1500i drills. FQMO has a fleet of 30 drills and the new Sandvik D25KS & DP1500i drills are required to assist with the high production requirements.

“They will be joining a number of other Sandvik D25KS drill rigs, as well as the larger Sandvik D45KS and Sandvik DP1500i top hammer drills. The standardisation will in many ways simplify maintenance, stock holdings of spares, rock tools and parts to make the operation easier to manage,” McMaster says.

FQMO’s manager optimisation drill & blast James Bravery was the direct link for the deal and through numerous discussions and negotiations we came to an agreed solution which is the result of this buy back agreement, McMaster says.

About the D25KS rig

Thanks to its compact size, proven design and durable power groups, the Sandvik D25KS blast hole drill is a very stable and highly manoeuvrable surface drill for surface mining and large-scale quarrying.

It’s a down-the-hole (DTH) hammer drill with a high pressure air compressor, air-line lubricator and fine feed control. It is commonly used in large mining operations globally with a choice of hole sizes from 127 mm to 172 mm (5” to 6 ¾”). It is also the drill of choice among many contractors due to its efficiency and extreme reliability on difficult grades.

One of the biggest selling points is its speed and fast set-up with effective pipe handling of 9.14m length pipes with pipe sizes in diameters ranging from 89 -140 mm. Pipe loading is controlled from the operator’s cab with the effective handling of drill pipe contributing to shorter cycle times and getting more holes drilled.

About the DP1500i rig

The Sandvik DP1500i is an intelligent, self-propelled, self-contained, crawler based surface drilling rig equipped with a cabin, movable boom and a rod changer. It is perfect for production drilling in large quarries or open pit mines and construction work sites. It is also well suited for wall control (pre-split drilling) and development works. The rig can be customised to meet special customer requirements.

Investing for the future

The Sandvik D25KS and DP1500i machines will be required to work up 5000 hours per year and in the well-maintained environment of Kansanshi the rigs will see service for many years. “This deal underscores our willingness to work with mines to ensure that they have appropriate equipment at all times that are able to deal with their changing requirements. While a number of underground mines in Zambia have shut down or gone into managed care the surface mines in the North West copper-belt are faring better. Moves such as the drill rig fleet renewal at Kansanshi to more efficient varieties are a positive step and an investment in the future of the mines,” McMaster concludes.

Source: MQWorld