KONKOLA COPPER MINES (KCM) HAS BLAMED THE LATEST POLLUTION OF KAFUE RIVER ON A POWER OUTAGE EXPERIENCED EARLIER THIS WEEK WHICH LED TO THE FAILURE OF THE PUMPS AT ITS TAILINGS DISPOSAL SITE ON THE COPPERBELT PROVINCE.
THE COMPANY HAS SAYS IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE POWER OUTAGE, KCM CLOSED DOWN ITS CONCENTRATOR AND THE TAILINGS LEACH PLANT AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE AND THE MATTER WAS ALSO REPORTED TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL OF ZAMBIA, THE MINES SAFETY DEPARTMENT AND LOCAL WATER UTILITY FIRM.
KAFUE RIVER IS A SOURCE OF WATER FOR THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS IN ZAMBIA’S COPPERBELT PROVINCE.
KCM, A UNIT OF LONDON-LISTED VEDANTA RESOURCES PLC (VED.LN), HAS NOT YET DISCLOSED THE LIKELY IMPACT OF THE CLOSURE ON ITS 2011 COPPER OUTPUT AND ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL OF ZAMBIA ARE PROBING KCM TO ESTABLISH THE SOURCE AND CAUSE OF POLLUTION TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION AND PREVENT RE-OCCURRENCES OF SUCH INCIDENTS IN FUTURE.
KCM SAID SEPARATELY THAT IT WOULD COOPERATE WITH THE PROBE.
IN NOVEMBER, THE COURT FINED KCM AT LEAST OVER 22MILLION KWACHA FOR POLLUTING THE RIVER, WHICH ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISTS DESCRIBED AS INADEQUATE SAYING THE COMPANY IS POLLUTING THE RIVER WITH "IMPUNITY."
KCM IS TARGETING MORE THAN DOUBLING ITS ANNUAL COPPER OUTPUT TO 400,000 METRIC TONNES BY 2014 FROM 173,000 TONNES ###########
BY: AUGUSTINE SICHULA
No comments:
Post a Comment