Chinese-owned Changfa Resources Limited, a new copper mining company in Mufulira in Northern Zambia, has traced vast and rich copper deposits with potential to extend the country’s mining lifespan, the company says.
During its three geological studies undertaken recently south of Mufulira, an old mining town in northern Zambia, the mining company established that there are a number of copper deposits in the area worth exploiting to assist Zambia, Africa’s large copper producer, realise its mineral potential, local media reported citing company general manager Jun Lu.
Juan states that its investment in the mine sites of Mufulira has rekindled the future of copper mining in Zambia and presently has employed 200 local people in mining activities. Changfa Resources Limited has so far invested K300 million (US$600,000) in its recently undertaken geological surveys, explorations and feasibility studies during the past three years.
An additional K10 million (US$2,000) has been utilised on putting modern offices near the new mine site and the company hopes that by August this year when surveys and explorations are concluded, the actual construction of the mine will begin, Jun said.
“We will be mainly involved in underground mining and that is why our geological explorations have gone beyond 600 metres and we have promising results of the copper ore deposits,” he says.
The company desires to closely monitor the new development and seek to work with the Government of Zambia to help create employment and further contribute to economic development. Changfa Resources Limited’s parent company in China has given benchmarks on the how to pay workers reasonable wages while operating in the country.
Distribute commissioner, Chanda Kabwe told Jun that the Government was happy with the strides made in the works at the site by the company and it is the government’s desire to see that more local people benefit from Changfa Resources’ presence in the area.
It is Government’s hope that the company will ensure that more local people are employed at the mine unlike hiring expatriate labour who should instead be used mainly in mining operations that require specialization.
It is the desire by the Government that the company should promote high safety standards at places of work to ensure safe working environment. It is also Government’s desire that the company should follow laid down labour laws and engage the Government where problems arise.
In recent years, the Government of Zambia expressed concern at the increasing number of expatriate workers that most of the mining companies in the Copperbelt had sought to engage at the expense of local and skilled Zambians, arguing that outsourcing of foreign labour was depriving Zambians of jobs.