By Scoop Reporter
THE Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines-Investments Holdings Plc (ZCCM-IH) has injected K18.6 million in the manganese mine in Serenje.
Public Relations Manager Loisa Mbatha-Kakoma has told The Scoop in a statement that works have commenced following the end of the heavy rains that hampered operations, posing a challenge in accessing the mine site areas.
Ms. Kakoma says the project, which is carried out by the investment’s subsidiary company, Kabundi Resources Limited (KRL), is scheduled to start before the onset of this year’s rainy season and will be extended to other areas of the ZCCM-IH Large Scale Exploration area in Serenje.
She says among other works under the Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) approved by the Zambia Environmental Management Services (ZEMA), the company will construct additional one-by-two classroom block, a health center, nine-by-three bedroomed houses for the relocation of the project affected families, one house for a teacher, and another house for a medical staff.
She says these buildings will also be serviced and fully connected with piped water sourced from water boreholes to be drilled in the area.
“Production is targeted to reach 240,000 tonnes of manganese ore annually once commercial production is achieved.
“The Company is a strategic investment aimed at diversifying the commodity mix of the ZCCM-IH’s portfolio which is largely comprised of copper producing assets,” she said.
She says the RAP project had so far employed over 20 locals. KRL will further employ over 150 youths at the mine site as production scales up upon relocation of the affected families.
She says KRL targeted to mine about 60,000 tonnes of manganese by the end of the year during the ramp up period of operations.
