Zambia: KCM Pays $68 Million for Environmental Care
5 May 2010
KONKOLA Copper Mines (KCM) has emerged as the largest contributor to the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) under the Ministry of Mines, contributing US$68 million, about K3.3 billion for the first five years.
Citizens for a Better Environment (CBE) have also expressed happiness that most major mining companies have taken the initiative to comply with the statutory requirement to contribute to the EPF.
CBE executive director Peter Sinkamba said his organisation was happy that mines were paying their obligations to the EPF as the funds were meant to mitigate any negative environmental impact their operations caused.
Mr Sinkamba said following his organisation's legal action against some defaulters to the fund, there was now a lot of enthusiasm amongst the companies to comply with the EPF requirements.
"We are happy all major mining companies have complied with the requirement to contribute towards the EPF," Mr Sinkamba said.
He said some of the major mines that had complied included, KCM, Mopani Copper Mines (MCM), Bwana Mkubwa, Kasanshi and Lumwana.
Mr Sinkamba expressed hope that all mining companies would comply with the requirement to contribute to the EPF and avoid litigation.
He said of the major mines, KCM was the biggest contributor to the fund with $68 million for its operations in Kitwe, Chingola, Chililabombwe and Nampundwe.
Mopani is second with contributions amounting to $25 million for operations in Kitwe and Mufulira, $10 million for First Quantum Minerals (FQM) for its Bwana Mkubwa and Kansanshi operations and Non-Ferrous Company-Africa Mining (NFCA) with $5 million for its Chambishi mining operations.
Mr Sinkamba said the mines were supposed to make five equal installments of the amounts every year for five years from 2008 and the five years were due to expire in 2012.
He said the Government would hold the contributions in trust until the mines closed and the same would go towards addressing any environmental impact
« L'aventure n'existe pas. Elle est dans l'esprit de celui qui la poursuit, et dès qu'il peut la toucher du doigt, elle s'évanouit pour renaître bien plus loin, sous une autre forme, aux limites de l'imagination. »
( Pierre Mac Orlan )
( Pierre Mac Orlan )