KONKOLA COPPER MINES IS PLANNING TO SPEND AT LEAST $50 MILLION TO UPGRADE ITS NCHANGA UNIT TO MAKE IT ENVIRONMENTALLY COMPLIANT.
KCM SPOKESPERSON JACQUELINE KABETA SAYS THE COMPANY HAS STEPPED UP PLANS TO FULFILL ITS CURRENT AND FUTURE COMMITMENT TO MINIMIZING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AT ALL ITS OPERATIONS ON THE COPPERBELT.
MS KABETA ADDED THAT UNLIKE THE NCHANGA UNIT, KCM'S OTHER UNITS INCLUDING THE NKANA COPPER REFINERY, THE 300,000 TONNES-A-YEAR NCHANGA SMELTER AND THE NAMPUNDWE KONKOLA MINES HAVE BEEN CERTIFIED UNDER THE INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM CERTIFICATION PROCESS.
SHE SAYS THE PRE-ASSESSMENT AUDIT FOR NCHANGA WILL TAKE PLACE IN JUNE THIS YEAR AND THE ACTUAL ASSESSMENT WILL TAKE PLACE LATER IN DECEMBER.
IN RECENT YEARS, KCM HAS BEEN ACCUSED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL OF ZAMBIA OF POLLUTING THE KAFUE RIVER, A SOURCE OF DOMESTIC WATER FOR COPPERBELT RESIDENTS WHICH PASSES THROUGH THE MINE PROPERTY.
AND IN NOVEMBER, THE COURT FINED KCM AT LEAST $4,449 FOR POLLUTING THE RIVER.
ACCORDING TO MS KABETA, THE POLLUTION HAS MAINLY BEEN CAUSED BY OPERATIONAL FAILURE AT KCM'S TAILINGS LEACH PLANT DUE TO OBSOLETE EQUIPMENT.
THE UPGRADES WILL INVOLVE THE REPLACEMENT OF WASTE PUMPS AND PIPES THAT CAN WITHSTAND HIGH LEVELS OF ACIDITY AND ARE NOT PRONE TO BREAKDOWNS.
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