ZEMA Closes Illegal Mine Operating On School Grounds
The Zambia Environmental Management Agency has closed down an illegal mine operating on the premises of Muchina Boarding School in Serenje District of Central Province.
Authorities found the mine had no legal right to embark on open pit mining, especially at the school premises.
Serenje Member of Parliament George Kantafula has welcomed the decision, noting mining activities were threatening building safety at the school as well as key local infrastructure including a bridge.
The open pit mine was searching for manganese, a brittle silvery metal, often found alongside iron, that has particularly diverse uses in industrial alloys. It is this industrial demand that drives its value.
A traditional local leader, Chief Kambama of the Lala people, unexpressed his unhappiness and shock to see a large-scale open pit mine was operating out of a school. Especially since, he argues, the community was not consulted: “the community being the major stakeholder was supposed to be engaged and consulted beforehand, because if the community is not involved whom will you stay with and consult?” he questioned.
The chief expressed his discontent at the lack of power given to his office to address local concerns on mining or to benefit from the economic activity taking place. “The removal of mineral royalties to chiefdoms has left chiefs as major spectators without benefiting in any way,” Kabamba bemoaned.
Centre for Environment Justice Executive Director Maggie Mwape noted the mine’s location and the potential damage it would do to the school violated a child’s right to education. While Ms Mwape was unequivocal that the CEJ is supportive of investors developing areas economically, she emphasised such investment projects must focus on how they can improve the livelihoods of those in the surrounding community.
In July of this year, the New Dawn government suspended operations for nine manganese mining firms for violating environmental requirements in their licences. Green Economy Minister, Collins Nzovu, is in charge of the “renewable energy for sustainable development” programme in Zambia and, alongside ZEMA, seeing that existing businesses live up to environmental standards. Mr Nzovu ordered six of the nine firms to restore the environment they’d destroyed as a result of ignoring ZEMA regulations.
Although, as the 7th largest copper producer in the world, mining is set to play a crucial role in the economic development of Zambia, and is central to president Hichilema’s hopes of becoming a middle income country by 2030, it is still strictly licensed. ZEMA make an active effort to monitor activity across the country and attempt to prevent illegal mining operations. Illegal mining often ignores proper legislation during its operating and can destabilise the safety of a surrounding environment, such as that of the school, or improperly pollute the ecosystem.