By JAMES KUNDA –

KONKOLA Copper Mines (KCM) will not process the 5,000 tonnes copper concentrates imported from Chile, South America, until concerns by members of the public and environmental safety are addressed.
KCM public relations and communications manager Shapi Shachinda said the mining company was cautious of employee and public health safety, hence it had engaged stakeholders in relation with the imported concentrates.
Mr Shachinda said in a statement yesterday that KCM had engaged the Zambia Environmental Agency (ZEMA) and the Mine Safety Department in devising appropriate procedures to protect employees, communities and the environment.
Mr Shachinda said KCM chief executive officer, Steven Din, recently met with Mineworkers Union of Zambia general secretary Joseph Chewe and other union leaders to brief them about the rationale for the concentrates’ imports.
The other leaders met were from the National Union of Mining and Allied Workers (NUMAW) and the United Mineworkers Union of Zambia (UMUZ).
“KCM will not process the 5,000 tonnes of Chilean copper concentrates until all parties are satisfied that there will be no adverse impact,” he said.
Mr Shachinda said it was important that KCM imported the concentrates to operate its Nchanga smelter as close to design capacity as possible and achieve maximum efficiency.
He said the design criteria of the smelter required high-grade concentrate feed to function most efficiently but this was not available in sufficient quantities in Zambia.
“There is also limited availability of suitable concentrates in the region which necessitates looking further afield,” Mr Shachinda said.
KCM operates underground and open pit mines on the Copperbelt as well as metallurgical plants with operations located at Nchanga, Konkola, Nkana and Nampundwe.