PUBLIC DISCLOSURE RADIO PROGRAMME FOR PROPOSED TD11 TAILINGS STORAGE FACILITY BUTTRESSING PROJECT AT MUFULIRA MINE IN MUFULIRA
In normal social conditions, the aforementioned public disclosure of the project’s Environmental and Social Impact Assessment in respect of the buttressing project would have been carried out at a public meeting with the affected and interested parties. However, these are not normal social conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To comply with the Government’s directives and the Public Health Guidelines on social distancing and gatherings, it has therefore, been decided to carry out the public disclosure through a radio programme. Mopani Copper Mines PLC (MCM), a joint venture company comprising major shareholders Glencore, First Quantum Minerals Ltd and ZCCM Investment Holdings, own and operate mining and mineral processing operations in Mufulira and Kitwe on the Copperbelt in Zambia running the Mufulira and Nkana Mine Sites, respectively. The company’s success has resulted from its focused approach to operation facilities’ improvement and the mutually beneficial relationships enjoyed with its stakeholders. MCM operates the TD11 Tailings Storage Facility at Mufulira Mine Site in Mufulira District. The tailings storage facility is located about 3.7 kilometres to the South-West of Mufulira Mine Main Plant and Works area. The facility lies within the Mine Surface Rights area of MCM Mufulira Mine and covers an area of approximately 480 hectares. It has confining walls built with earthfill and cycloned tailings material. The process waste from the Concentrator known as tailings (or slimes) are deposited into the facility, which has been in continuous operation since 1987. The Project: MCM is proposing to reinforce (buttress) the walls of TD11 Tailings Storage Facility with graded waste rock and other selected earthfill material to implement the TD11 Tailings Storage Facility Buttressing Project. The reinforcement plan entails reinforcing the walls made of cyclone tailings by constructing an outer wall against the existing TD11 walls. This is to increase the factor of safety of the facility, thus further stabilising the retaining outer walls. MCM commenced the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) Process for the proposed project as required under the Environmental Management Act No.12 of 2011 of the Laws of Zambia read together with the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, Statutory Instrument No. 28 of 1997. The company also held a Scoping meeting in August 2019 as the initial stage in public consultation on the project. The buttressing extent will be wholly within Mopani surface rights. The construction materials will be sourced from within Mopani mining rights.
Public Disclosure Mechanism: Further to the Scoping meeting, and in compliance with environmental legislation stated above, MCM has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed project and is now inviting Government Agencies, the Local Authority, Non-governmental Organisations, Community-Based Organisations, Interested and Affected Parties and the general public to participate in a phone- in radio programme for Public Disclosure of the Draft EIS for the proposed project. The phone-in programme will be hosted by Mafken FM Radio on
Tuesday, 2nd June 2020 from 10:00 hrs to 11:00 hrs and stakeholders are warmly invited to tune in to the Radio on 97.7 MHz and participate in the radio programme by phoning the Radio Station on 0762 541266 free of charge. The calls made to this number during the time of the programme will be at NO cost to the caller.
Background:
Be part of the Environmental Impact Assessment Process for the proposed project! Stay Safe – Practice Social Distancing! All