39
Innovators
Mufulira and Nkana mines from ZCCM. Currently,
we have copper reserves estimated at 151.9 million
tons, grading 1.89% copper and resources of 335
million tons, grading 2.05% copper.
At the advent of privatization of the sector, the Zam-
bian government retained a stake in the mining
industry through ZCCM Investments Holdings Plc
(ZCCM-IH) which is an investments holdings com-
pany, quoted on the Lusaka, London, and Euronext
stock exchanges, and has the majority of its inves-
tments held in the copper mining sector of Zambia.
During that period, Mopani focused efforts on a num-
ber of oxide copper projects at several of its proper-
ties, including an in-situ leaching project at Mufulira
and leaching at Nkana, and we have also increased
production at the underground mining operations in
Kitwe and Mufulira.
Today, we can proudly say that the Mopani Copper
Mine has generated over US$
850 million in tax pa-
yments to the Zambian government since privatiza-
tion in 2000 through royalties, import/customs duties
and income taxes; so our story is not only a success
because of the growth of the company but also be-
cause of our pride of contributing to the development
of the country both in terms of revenue and emplo-
yment.
Among
the different proj
ects of Mopani Copper
Mines Pl
c,
some focus on the dev
el
opment of
the country
and al
so its empl
oy
ees.
Which is the
most important current social
proj
ect?
We are very proud of the Mopani Central Training
Centre, set up by Mopani Copper Mines at a cost of
US$
15million and opened to train artisans in various
engineering and mining skills. The engineering skills
offered at the center include rigging, fitting and ma-
chining, instrumentation, auto electrical, plating and
welding as well as training heavy mining equipment
diesel mechanics.
From the mining side, Mopani will complete the Mi-
ning training school at the end of 2015, which will be
running side-by-side with the engineering school at
the MCTC. The available mining courses will include
Basic Operator and Normal Construction, Blasting
Certificate, Technical Services, Health and Safety as
well as Rescue Training.
The training center has now over 200 engineering
students that we are fully-sponsoring for the 2014-
2016 intake, way ahead of our initial projection of
meeting such a target in the planned months. To be
precise, we have a total of 234 students at MCTC,
whom we are sponsoring by providing them with ac-
commodation, learning materials, free meals and a
monthly upkeep allowance. This training program,
coupled with the full sponsorship being awarded
to students, is expected to greatly help in resolving
the current critical shortage of technical skills across
Zambia’s mining industry and eventually lead to a
reduction in the reliance on out-of-country skills.
Through this Training Centre, we are providing op-
portunities for grade 12 school leavers between the
ages of 18 and 23, who obtained full School Certifi-
cates with credit or better in Mathematics, Science
and English. The eligible students have to undergo a
vigorous selection process based on merit.
Apart from the training offering as described above,
Mopani also provides the students with recreation fa-
cilities and above all, a guaranteed job on successful
completion of the training program.
Our Training School is fully accredited with the
government’s Technical, Education, Vocation and
Entrepreneurship Training Authority (TEVETA) and
we are happy its establishment comes at a time
when Mopani is making huge investments into pro-
longing the lifespan of our mines by a further 25
years from the current depletion dates of between
2015 and 2017.
We are investing heavily into extending the lifespan
of our mines as demonstrated by the US$
323 million
that we pumped into the sinking, equipping and ho-
rizontal development of the Synclinorium Shaft. We
are also currently sinking two more deep shafts in
both Mufulira and Kitwe at a cost of approximately
US$
565 million. So the Training Centre is crucial to
our long-term vision.
Fol
l
ow
ing
w
ith the prev
ious question,
one of the
most important facts for the company
,
incl
uded
w
ithin its core v
al
ues,
is the safety
of its empl
o-
y
ees.
How
rel
ev
ant is this aspect in the opera-
tions of Mopani Copper Mines Pl
c? Coul
d y
ou
expl
ain y
our concept of
SAFEMINING
?
The health and safety of our employees and con-
tractors is indeed a core value at Mopani. Since in-
ception in 2000, we have implemented a number of
safety initiatives that have contributed to the reduc-
tion in lost Time Injury Frequency Rate from 9.3 in
