Zambia halts building of copper mine in national park, citing environmental concerns

By James Kunda

LUSAKA, Zambia (AA) - Zambia decided Wednesday to order an immediate halt to all work on a $494 million copper project in Lower Zambezi National Park, located southeast of the capital Lusaka.

Speaking to reporters in Lusaka, Green Economy and Environment Minister Collins Nzovu said mining company Mwembeshi Resources Limited had violated environmental conditions in building the Kangaluwi copper mine.

He said the country's environmental management agency had since served the company with a compliance order to stop mining-related activities and the construction of roads and buildings at the project.

Nzovu did not specify how long the ban would remain in place, but prior to his statement, Mwembeshi Resources spokesman Oliver Shalala had indicated that the company was compliant with all environmental agency requirements.

Shalala, however, accused critics of the project of having rejected a series of meetings to appreciate the firm's position that mining activity would be done far away from the fauna and flora of the region.

"The mining will be done with modern technology which will enable the mining activities and wildlife to co-exist and promote both the mining and tourism industries," he said.​​​​​​​

But in a tweet, environmental and social activist Nsama Musonda Kearns said: "Lower Zambezi is safe, good news fellow conservationists-Zambia is in safe hands. Thank you President Hakainde Hichilema, thank you honourable Collins Nzovu, thank you Zambia environmental management agency."