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Mining

First Quantum Minerals (FQM) has confirmed that the mining firm has a valid license to mine and produce Nickel concentrate at its newly announced enterprise Nickel mine at Kalumbila District, which is next to it’s Copper rich Kalumbila Trident mines.

This follows questions raised on how the giant mining firm acquired the license at a time when the Zambian government had placed a moratorium on issuance of new mining licenses after the change of government. The Zambian government imposed a moratorium stating that they wanted to clean up and improve the system.

Dr. Godwin Beene who is FQM Government Relations specialist stated that the mining firm [FQM] acquired the license a long time ago but could not disclose when exactly this happened. FQM had announced at a recently held mining Indaba in Cape Town that the giant mining company will be producing about 30,000 tons of Nickel annually, expected to rake in about $1 billion in revenues annually.

And another note from FQM to the Zambian Business Times – ZBT re-affirmed that that giant copper miner has an existing Nickel license that was issued before a moratorium was instituted by new mines Minister but did not state when exactly the license was issued.

Speaking in an interview with ZBT, Dr. Beene said FQM operates under the laws of Zambia which state that for one to mine, they need to have a license, therefore it’s impossible for FQM or any other mining company to start a project without a license as that would mean going against the stipulated laws of Zambia.

Dr. Beene further told ZBT that FQM Nickel mining license is valid for between 20 and 25 years stating that two licenses are required for the mining and processing of Nickel and FQM has both.

“I can confirm that First Quantum has a valid Nickel Mining license” stated Beene. He advised that those that want to see it,  they can visit the cadaster office as they have a copy”, he said.

Mining specialists and analysts in Zambia questioned the FQM announcement that the new enterprise Nickel mine would be opened within a period of twelve (12) months when the Zambian government imposed a moratorium on issuance of new mining licenses. The moratorium is still currently in place but expected to be lifted soon.

The new Nickel mine to be operated by FQM will add to the existing Munali Nickel mine of Mazabuka and expected to make Zambia – Africa’s largest producer. Nickel as a mineral is gaining more international recognition and importance following the drive to green anergy and the electric car promise.

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First Quantum Minerals (FQM) has confirmed that

Mining

The Ministry of Mines has refused to confirm or deny if First Quantum Minerals – FQM has been awarded a nickel mining license following the company announcement that it will begin nickel production in kalumbila district of the Copperbelt in the next twelve (12) months.

FQM announced at the recently Cape Town held Mining Indaba that it will be opening a nickel mine in Kalumbila with an additional investment of $100 million to the $250 million enterprise Nickel mine which will bring the total to $350 million. The mine is expected to hit an annual production of 30,000 tons per annum and revenues of over $800m at current nickel prices.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business times – ZBT, Minister of Mines Paul Kabuswe said he could not give out what he termed as office details. The Minister however said when FQM announced to the government that it approved the investment, it meant that the programme is on and it was also approved by President Hakainde Hichilema.

Kabuswe further stated that the ministry of mines can amend mining licenses once the holder discovers new minerals that they feel should be included in the license. When asked if FQM will have to amend or buy a new license in this matter, the Minister said he would not go into those details adding that the announcement of nickel mining at Kalumbila has been made and it was not a a lie.

The Ministry of Mines has suspended the issuing of mining licenses and announced that measures are being put in place to improve the system. The projected or targeted timelines for resuming the issuance of mining licenses is yet to be made public.

Efforts to get an estimation of how much a nickel mining licence for an anticipated 30,000 tons annual production would fetch to acquire from the ministry of mines proved futile by time of publishing.

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The Ministry of Mines has refused to

Mining

The Elsewedy Electric Company of Egypt local unit has disclosed that it intends to invest about $500 million and will set up its own mining company in Zambia. However, the planned investments are currently at concept stage.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times – ZBT Elsewedy Electric country Manager Mohamad Hassan said the investment budget is not yet out or finalized but is projected to be about US$500 million in total investments.

El Sewedy Electric country Manager disclosed that the mineral to be mined is Copper which will be locally fabricated to produce copper rods used in making transformers, wires, and also start to make sheets for automotive batteries etc.

When asked by ZBT where the El Sewedy Copper Mine would be located and if the company has acquired a mining licence, the Country Manager said the place where the mine is to be set has not yet been finalized as they are still in talks with other stakeholders.

Hassan said for the mining development and eventual mining operations, the company is projecting to employ over ten thousand (10,000) Zambian employees. He stated that the company currently has many projects in Zambia which include a transformer unit established in 2009 co-owned by el Sewedy and ZESCO with about 120 permanent employees.

El Sewedy Electric country Manager said the motive behind the investment is to foster development as the company is a chain as it is specialises in Wire & cable, electrical products, smart infrastructure and infrastructure development.

He said from the same mining which where the main shareholder will be government, the company intends to create a Fabrication factory which will be making rods for cables, sheets, wires, wire copper core for transformers etc.

He said once the new projects are actualized, they will mainly benefit local Zambian people as most of the 10,000 people to be employed will be Zambians. The Country Manager said the projects are likely to commence this year but could however not disclose the actual month when further queried by ZBT.

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The Elsewedy Electric Company of Egypt local

Lifestyle

Minister of Justice Mulambo Haimbe has confirmed that the new dawn government has made progress concerning the amendment of the Public Order Act (POA) and on about five out of the six key recommendations made by the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU-EOM).

However, when asked to confirm if the enactment of political party’s bill is also under way, the Justice minister said “it is not amongst those we are aware of as being on the cards”. Haimbe added that it will be looked into but it is not amongst the current pieces of legislation being addressed.

Speaking in an interview with the Zambian Business Times – ZBT, Haimbe said the ammendment process which is under the Ministry of Home Affairs is currently going through a consensus driven process to take the next ideals from all stakeholders on the forms and content.

The 2021 European Union Election Observation Mission offered 22 recommendations for future electoral reforms based on observations, analysis and extensive discussion with a range of stakeholders and further highlighted six priority recommendations to help make the Zambia electoral process be in line with best international democratic principles.

The six recommendations that were made were (i) repealing of the Public Order Act in order to ensure law adherence to regional and international standards for freedom of assembly, movement and expression, (ii) Revision of candidacy requirements to enhance the right and the opportunity to stand by ensuring registration fees do not deter participation and are refundable, and removing educational requirements for the right to stand and (iii) to consider enacting a law on political parties stipulating registration requirements and guaranteeing internal party democracy, inclusivity, transparency and accountability, with adequate institutional oversight.

Other recommendations were (iv) removing from the law undue campaign privileges for the [incumbent] President and Vice-President to ensure equal campaign conditions for all candidates, enact a law on campaign finance including reporting requirements for political parties, candidates, and traditional and social media. (v) Income and expenditure reports have to be audited by a competent, independent body with investigative, sanctioning, and enforcement powers, (vi) Formalize cooperation between the ECZ, civil society and main social media platforms to develop an efficient mechanism ensuring transparency of online campaigning, including its financing and countering hate speech and disinformation.

The Minister further told ZBT that the approach of formalizing cooperation between the ECZ and other social media platforms is not just for the Ministry of Justice alone. He said there is a policy position that is being prepared from cabinet and government will be implementing the said policy position.

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Minister of Justice Mulambo Haimbe has confirmed

Lifestyle

Patriotic Front (PF) Acting President Given Lubinda says government should question what Minister of Technology and Science Felix Mutati knows about the FTJ University project, as he was a minster in the PF government when the project was approved. Mutati has been implicated in the FTJ University project saga involving US$33 million.

Mutati has since come out to deny and provided evidence that he was not finance minister at the time but his statement has not clarified if he had not backed or overseen the payment approval as the payments were made few weeks from the time he was demoted.

When contacted by the Zambian Business Times-ZBT, Mutati said he could not comment on the matter at that particular time as he was in the middle of a meeting but efforts to speak to the minister again proved futile by press time.

Mutati said “Why don’t we have that conversation a little later, remember I said I am chairing a meeting just now”.

During a Press Briefing on Thursday, monitored by the ZBT, Lubinda stated that the contract commenced during the time when Felix Mutati was Minister of Finance in the PF government therefore the minister should be able to explain what transpired because the Ministry of Finance is responsible for disbursement of funds.

Lubinda said the then Minister of Finance Mutati, should go to cabinet and explain what transpired but he is behaving as though he doesn’t have the information on his fingertips.

“The minister of finance who was there at the time when this contract was being entered into is fortunately part of the current cabinet, Felix Mutati was Minister of Finance in 2016, he was Minister of Finance in 2018, he stopped being Minister of Finance in 2018 when he was moved to Ministry of Works and Supply”, he said.

 

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Patriotic Front (PF) Acting President Given Lubinda

Agribusiness

The Grain Traders Association of Zambia-GTAZ says the maize floor price for the 2021/2022 crop-marketing season will be lower than the price for the 2020/2021 crop-marketing season.

Speaking in an interview with the Zambian Business Times-ZBT, Association Spokesperson Yotam Mkandawire explained that last year’s maize buying price was not genuine as it was induced politically therefore the expectation is that this year’s price will be market reflective.

“It was politically motivated because the president increased the price of maize, it was not the price that the market was expecting, it was an induced price, it was pronounced for the sake of elections and votes”, he said.

Mkandawire however noted that the price of the new crop will not stay low for long and will start going up because of the shortages in the region adding that there is a high demand for maize in the neighbouring countries.

“Beginning of the season, the price will be low but it will start going up eventually. Right now because of the moisture content, the price of maize is low because when people are buying they are factoring in the water in the maize and because of that water; you cannot give a very good price. As time progresses, around June-July prices will go up because the moisture content would have reached the desired level”, he said.

He also mentioned that the price of maize would be determined by factors such as the cost of production, cost of inputs , cost of labour and the cost of fuel adding that the cost of fuel is currently high therefore transporting a tonne of maize now will cost more than last year’s cost to transport the same quantity.

Mkandawire stressed that despite the reduction of maize production this year, maize prices would not be affected by this factor due to the substantial quantity of maize reserves that the country has.

Agriculture Minister Reuben Mtolo has disclosed that the country has recorded a decrease in maize production from last year’s 3.6 million metric tonnes to 2.7 million metric tonnes, which represents a 25.24% decline.

The minister said the reduction in maize production is due to the reduction in the area planted and the reduction in yields per hectare from 2.14 metric tons last season to 1.8 metric tons in the 2021/2022 farming season.

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The Grain Traders Association of Zambia-GTAZ says

Companies

The Road Transport and Safety Agency- RATSA and Bus operators have resolved to maintain the bus fares for local routes, inter- mine and peri-urban due to the negligible average  price reduction on diesel which most buses use.

The two key stakeholders have however agreed to reduce bus fares for all  inter-city routes  by K10.00 with effect from 12th May,2022, following  a slight drop in fuel pump announced by the Energy Regulation Board- ERB.

In an exclusive interview with the Zambian business times- ZBT, the Bus and Taxi Association of Zambia spokesperson Amis Daudi said that most of these buses used on the road are diesel propelled and the reduction in the price of diesel is under K1 (58 Ngwee to be specific) per liter thus the amount of money reduced in the cost of running a single bus is seen.

And in a statement made available to the Zambian Business Times – ZBT, the RTSA head for public relations, Fredrick Mubanga said that ERB reduced fuel pump prices by K2.35 for petrol and K0.58 for diesel with effect from 1 may, 2022 and that on 2nd may, 2022 RTSA held a consultative meeting with Bus and Taxi Owners Association of Zambia – BTOAZ, Commuter Rights Association of Zambia – CRAZ and Zambia Consumer Association- ZCA.

He has further stated that the meeting resolved to continue monitoring the factors affecting bus fare variations using the developed bus fare model which take into account the inflation rate, the cost of fuel and other operating costs.

Mubanga said that RTSA commits itself to fully manage the stakeholder engagement process in bus fare adjustment to protect the interest of the public while safeguarding the operations of the passenger.

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The Road Transport and Safety Agency- RATSA

Mining

First Quantum Minerals – FQM’s is set to massively boost its financial performance after a confirmation that it would be opening a nickel mine at Kalumbila,  with the company the expecting to generate revenues of about $800million per annum after a reported total initial investment of only $350 million.

FQM in a statement made available to the Zambian Business Times – ZBT, has confirmed that the mine would be opened in the next twelve months after the confirmation of an additional investment of $100 million to the $250 ‘enterprise nickel mine’ to bring the total to about $350 million.

The company stated that the mine is expected to have an annual production of 30,000 ton per annum. With the current Nickel spot prices of about $28,000 per ton, the annual revenues to be generated are expected to be about $810 million per annum, from a total reported investment of only $350 million

About 700 permanent jobs will be created once the mine is operational. The company did not however confirm its total invested amounts as analysts have stated that an annual return of $800m per annum from an investment of $100m plus the reported $250 million looks too lucrative to be true.

The opening of FQM’s Kalumbila based Nickel mine will make Zambia, Africa’s largest nickel producer. The country already had Munali Nickel mine at Mazabuka but the mine is yet to hit peak production levels.

The Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) is yet to share any expectations of the tax benefits they anticipate to extract as sceptics fear that the country may fail to leverage full benefits due to the global miners’ reputation of extracting massive concessions.

 

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First Quantum Minerals - FQM’s is set

Companies

Unknown people broke into Kenmark Broadcasting Network (KBN) TV station in Northmead area and walked away with all live transmission equipment.

KBN Station Manager Petty Chanda said the team received a report from the security guard who was securing the premises that burglars had broken into the offices around 03:00 hrs on 11 May 2022 adding that the criminals had access to the premises using the next door neighbour.

Chanda said the criminals walked away with electronic gadgets such as cameras and laptops among others and cut the fiber cable that sends signal to Top Star hence the station is off air on the public signal distributor.

In an interview with the Zambian Business Times-ZBT, Chanda said the criminals might know the station premises too well as the act was well organized.

She mentioned that the incident is in no way related to the news that circulated on social media some time back that the station was owing some workers at that particular time as they have all been paid now.

Police are actively investigating the matter and the night guard is being held to help the Police with investigations.

And Media Owner Association of Zambia (MOAZ) has called on the police to quicken its investigation on the theft of all studio equipment and associated broadcasting equipment belonging to KBN Television station.

Association President Evans Banda has condemned the act saying justice must be delivered.

In a statement made available to ZBT, Banda said the theft of studio transmission equipment which was airing programmes at the time of the theft is unprecedented and a strange act.

The association has since demanded for quick action by the police in order to bring the culprits to book.

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Unknown people broke into Kenmark Broadcasting Network

Mining

Zambia is set to emerge as Africa’s largest nickel producer following First Quantum Minerals (FQM)’s pledge to invest US$100 million in the Enterprise Nickel project.

The existing Nickel mine – Munali Nickel has a total annual production capacity of about 4,000 tonnes (over 300 tonnes per month) and this will add to the 30,000 tonnes that FQMs Kalumbila Nickel mine is expected to produce.

First Quantum Minerals has disclosed that the new Enterprise Nickel project will be operational within 12 months.

According to a statement from FQM, made available to the Zambian Business Times-ZBT, once operational,the mine will employ approximately 700 full time staff.

The new Enterprise Nickel mine located approximately 14 kilometres from FQM sentinel mine in Kalumbila, has been given the go ahead, following FQM’s pledge to invest a final US$100 million in the project.

Once operational,the enterprise will be on the top ten 10 global nickel mine producing 30, 000 tons of nickel in concentrate annually, which will make Zambia Africa’s pre-eminent nickel producer.

“Enterprise high grade nickel sulphide deposits provide precisely the type of nickel that is required to manufacture batteries for electric vehicles-EVs thus positioning Zambia as a producer of strategic metals”, the company said.

The company noted that copper and nickel, are vital to the production of the new technologies and the green energy revolution.

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Zambia is set to emerge as Africa’s