By ROGERS KALERO
TIAN Jin Mao Lian, a Chinese company which owns the ‘Black Mountain’ through Nkana Alloy has so far invested more than US$230 million in the construction of a Copper and Cobalt processing plant where the material from the ‘Black Mountain’ will be processed.
Nkana Mining and Mineral Processing Limited General Manager Jeff Wang said the ‘Black Mountain’ belonged to Nkana Alloy and it will ensure that its material was put to good use to ensure that there was employment creation for the people of Chambishi and surrounding areas.
Mr Wang said the material to be processed at the plant , which covers 67 hectares within the Zambia Chinese Economic Corporation (ZCCZ) will come from the famous ‘Black Mountain’ and other mining companies.
Mr Wang said the US$230 million investment would go to waste if government decide to grab the ‘Black Mountain’ from the Nkana Mining and Mineral Processing Limited where it was expecting to get the material to be processing at its newly constructed plant.
“Nkana Alloy owns the Black Mountain and so its mother company, Tian Jin Mao Lian decided to invest US$230million in putting up a Copper and Cobalt Processing which will create more than 600 jobs.
“Apart from job creation, we will pay tax to government and also contribute to reviving the economy of Chambishi. We are however concerned that our investment may go to waste if government decide to grab the Black Mountain,” Mr Wang said.
Mr Wang said if everything goes smoothly as planned, the company may start operations in November and employ more than 600 people from Chambishi and Kalulushi.
When asked what the company would do if the material at Black Mountain finishes, Mr Wang said the plant would be treating material from other mining companies like Lubambe Copper Mines (LCM) and others.
“When we run out of the materials from the Black Mountain, our plant, will be able to treat materials from other mines like LCM and others. This processing plant will go along way to benefit the country.
“Even if we decide to go to China, this investment will remain with you here in Zambia. So, you can see that Chinese are here in Zambia to partner with you in issues of economic recovery and national development,” he said.
