Mwila Nkonge
14 June 2005
Lusaka — THE Environmental Council of Zambia (ECZ) has approved Mediterranean Mining and Investment Limited (MMIL)'s application to develop and operate a small-scale copper mine in the Chongwe district.
This is alongside five other projects whose environmental impact assessment (EIA) reports were submitted for review.
But ECZ has rejected three projects including Sino Acid Products (Z) Limited's application for the construction of a sulphuric acid plant.
ECZ spokesperson Justin Mukosa announced the approval of the mine, to be situated in the Kanakantapa area, in a statement yesterday adding that it was conditional on MMIL relocating the area's Evergreen Basic School and the school borehole before commencing operations.
MMIL is further expected to reinforce the existing bridge on the Chongwe river to accommodate excessive loads from ore transporting trucks while ensuring that sewerage effluent was collected in a septic tank and placed in waste dumps.
"All workers will be provided with protective equipment and shall be subjected to annual medical checkups," he said.
Other projects approved include Turtle Agro-Mining Limited's Chivuna Limestone Mining Project in Mazabuka, the construction of a leach plant in Chambishi by Sino-Metals Leach Zambia Limited and Kagem Mining Limited's construction of a washing plant in Kitwe.
The rest are Chimam Manufacturing Limited's development and operation of Kampumba Manganese Mine in Kapiri Mposhi and the proposed relocation of the Kulefu Tented Camp by Star of Africa in Lower Zambezi National Park. All of these projects have been approved subject to adherence to environmental and other relevant regulations.
Meanwhile, Mukosa said ECZ rejected Sino Acid Products' application because it was sited wrongly. He said the proposed site would make the acid plant a hazard to the Chambishi Metals Plc plant and workers whose offices are windward of the proposed plant.
The council has since advised Sino Acid Products to find an alternative site for the plant.
Mukosa added that ECZ rejected an application for a lodge in Lupande Game Management Area (GMA) in Mfuwe by Msikizi Lodge and Camping because it was proposed to be in an ecologically sensitive area, which also serves as an animal corridor between South Luangwa National Park and the lagoon in the GMA, besides the danger of causing congestion as the site was too close to Mfuwe main gate.
The other project rejected is Chat Breweries' proposed opaque beer plant in Chinika area because of a lack of a sewerage network for the disposal of liquid waste, possibility of ground water pollution and the existence of two other brewery plants in the area.
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