By ADRIAN MWANZA
PERSISTENT power loss has cost Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) about US$7 million or 800 tonnes of copper production, says Liquidator Milingo Lungu.
Mr Lungu said the mining firm was facing production challenges due to the power outages that had hit the country and that the firm was losing about US$7 million per week as a result of that.
He said KCM was the wettest mine and a blackout that lasted about 45 minutes would spell doom for the mining firm.
“We lost about 800 tonnes of production and in real terms it’s about US$7 million just because of the continued power loses that are being experienced countrywide,’’ he said
Mr Lungu said that prolonged power outages could result in a build-up of water and that Konkola deep was the wettest mine and a total blackout could mean the mine submerging within 45 minutes.
He said that the firm was losing more but that he needed to confirm with his team exactly what the costs were.
‘’I need to confirm with my team on the exact figure but the thing is in the short term losses are being incurred and we just hope that this would be rectified as soon as possible,’’ he said.
