‘FIND SERIOUS MINE INVESTORS’

By PETER SICHALI

GOVERNMENT should find a serious investor for the mineral-rich Nkombwa Hills in Isoka to create jobs and contribute to economic growth, Chief Katyetye has said.

Nkombwa Hills also boasts of phosphate used in  manufacturing fertiliser and 15 other rare earth metals.

Chief Katyetye said Government should look for a serious investor to start exploration on the mineral rich Nkombwa Hills.

He said Government should give an exploration licence because records about the availability of minerals on Nkombwa mines were available.

“What is needed now is for the Ministry of Mines to find a serious investor to start operations on Nkombwa Hills so that it helps create the much-needed employment and contribute to the national treasury,” Chief Katyetye said.

He said existing licences should be cancelled because there had not been activities on Nkombwa mines.

He said the country’s economy had suffered setbacks because of the Covid-19 outbreak and there was need for serious investors for the economy to recover.

Chief Katyetye said Nkombwa Hills has a lot of mineral resources that could help boost the country’s economy if only serious investors were engaged.

He said once fully operational, Nkombwa mines could bring about the much needed foreign exchange and contribute to the country’s gross domestic product.

’’Operationalising this mine will create the much-needed jobs for our people in the region and it will also make Zambia the major producer of phosphate and contribute to reduction of prices for fertiliser,’’ Chief Katyetye said

Investigations by geologists at Nkombwa Hills indicate the presence of rare earth elements that are essential components of fuel refinery catalysts, catalytic converters, fuel cell alloys, batteries, high quality optical glass, fluorescent lights and TV screens, tablets, mobile phone touch screens, and high strength alloys for aircraft engines and lighter cars.