SMM11, 27 March: according to local media reports in Zambia, Shailendra Ragah), the owner of (Ragah Mining Limited, an illegal manganese miner in Mkushi (Mkushi), central province of Zambia, has been arrested by the Zambian Environmental Authority (ZEMA) for illegal mining. ("Click to view the original report)
At present, the Zambian Environmental Authority has confiscated equipment from mines, including those of commercial partners. Suspects will be charged under the ZEMA Environmental Management Act and mining equipment has been handed over to the necessary authorities. Chipili noted that at the time of submission of the environmental impact assessment, many manganese companies in the central province operated without the written approval of ZEMA. Since then, she has been urging all industries in the central provinces to protect the integrity of the environment in order to avoid long-term damage to the environment.
At present, illegal manganese mines in Zambia are not uncommon. According to the latest news, on November 18, Maxwell Kabanda, a central provincial official, revealed in an interview with ZNBC News that illegal manganese mining workers had invaded the Serenje area to carry out mining. And most mining companies with only exploration licences have entered full mining activities, and local authorities have not even benefited from mining activities, charging only 100kvacha (Kwacha Zambian currency) for every 30 tons of manganese trucks.
According to SMM, the Zambian government has been committed to the rectification of illegal mining. In recent years, there has been a strong demand for manganese mines in China, and illegal mining has continued to emerge. The central province and its subordinate serenj district are the "hardest hit areas." many illegal mining sites have not gone through formal procedures and have not been granted exploration and mining rights. The quality of the mine is also uneven. However, in the long run, the Zambian authorities have gradually paid more attention to manganese ore resources, actively attracting investment, and formal channels of cooperation will continue to develop.
