Zambia Mining licence issuance to resume in March Posted by Editor on February 24, 2012 in Business · 0 Comments
Copper Mines THE Ministry of Mines will next month resume the issuance of new mining licences to root out potential corruption and clean up the process, says mines minister Wylbur Simuusa.
And Simuusa says the government is prioritising the attraction of foreign capital and private sector money in boosting copper output to hit the “magic number” of one million tonnes by next year.
The government, last October, suspended the issuance of new mining licences after the process was discovered to be engulfed in corruption and irregularities, resulting in conflicts which arose after some licences were ‘legally’ discovered to belong to more than one holder.
Simuusa said the ministry had also completed the design of the new programme to expedite the issuance of new licences as well as cut down on graft activities associated with licence issuances.
“We are currently in the process of reviewing the process and procedure of doing the mining licences and I am confident that would be through by March,” Simuusa said in Lusaka. “We want to make it more efficient.”
He said the PF government wanted to attract more private sector players and private capital to boost copper output in Africa’s top copper producer which plans to achieve the coveted one million metric tonnes of copper by next year.
Simuusa, who is also Nchanga PF member of parliament, said the targeted copper output would be achieved by a combination of existing mines ramping up output and greenfield projects coming on stream starting next year.
The minister cited Konkola North, Kalumbila, Mulyashi mines and Ichimpe mines as some of the projects that were expected to boost Zambia’s copper output.
“We want to attract and recognise that direct foreign investments and private sector provides some of the best ways in realising the above objective raising copper output to one million tonnes per year,” said Simuusa.
“We want to attract and recognise FDI to partner with us to translate this mineral resource we have into benefits for us as a people and the country.” Simuusa also said the government wanted to create a manufacturing industry to provide mining sector consumables./Post
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