ZCCM Investments Holdings Plc has procured mine equipment at a cost of K6 million for Kariba Minerals Limited in an effort to increase production at the mine.
The equipment which include two tipper trucks, one excavator and one front end loader was officially handed over to Kariba Minerals in Mapatizya today.
Speaking during the handover, Acting Chief Executive Officer Mabvuto Chipata says the new mine equipment will offer relief to the mine before a full takeover by ZCCM-IH is completed.
Mr. Chipata said the equipment was needed as a relief while the acquisition of the 50% of Kariba Minerals held by Gemfields Limited was in the process.
“We have no doubt that this new mine equipment will open up new pits at the mine. Moving forward, ZCCM-IH will give the mine a strategic focus and direction, and implement robust performance targets at the mine to ensure that both production and sales levels are increased”, says Mr. Chipata.
He further indicated that some of the actions that ZCCM-IH will undertake at the mine after full takeover, will include a strong monitoring mechanism, a more active participation of ZCCM-IH’s Technical Directorate at the mine, among others.
And speaking on behalf of Kariba Minerals, the General Manager Mr. Peter Phiri, says of the ten pits at the mine, only one has been operational due to insufficient equipment.
Mr. Phiri further states that the new equipment will boost production performance, improve productivity and expand the mining operations at Kariba Minerals Ltd.
“With this new equipment, our target is to increase production to 2,000 tonnes of commercial grade amethyst from the current average of 800 tonnes, and 20, 000 tonnes of production ore from about 12, 000 tonnes in the next 2 years” said Mr. Phiri.
Kariba Minerals produces some of the world’s finest quality amethyst with the company’s global market share estimated at over 90% of the amethyst originating from Zambia.
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