Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
THE Zambia Chamber of Mines has dismissed assertions by the Mine Workers Union of Zambia that mining companies are exporting copper concentrate contrary.
Chamber president Nathan Chishimba says the call by MUZ General Secretary Joseph Chewe for a ban suggests there is a massive export of copper concentrate, when facts paint a very different picture.
He says none of the large mines are exporting copper concentrate, stating that it makes no economic sense because Zambia’s smelters are currently not running at full capacity, and are struggling to find enough concentrate to process.
He adds that concentrate is even being imported from the Democratic Republic of Congo to keep certain smelters operating efficiently.
Mr Chishimba states that if there is any exporting of copper concentrate by Zambian mines, it is probably being done “at the margins” by very small-scale producers who are unable to have their copper concentrate processed locally for reasons related to their quality.
On the MUZ General Secretary’s suggestion that all copper concentrate produced in Zambia should be refined into finished copper cathode locally; Mr Chishimba says Zambia does not have the refining capacity to do this.
He says it would be more helpful if stakeholders addressed their concerns directly with the industry in a spirit of dialogue and engagement, rather than making statements to the media without full knowledge of the facts.