Zambia's copper mines still facing fuel shortage
October 11, 2005
By Shapi Shacinda
Lusaka - Zambia's copper sector was still suffering from fuel shortages, with Konkola Copper Mines' Nkana smelter running at half capacity and the Mufulira smelter shut, mine officials said yesterday.
But the Bwana Mkubwa mine said it was operating after receiving a diesel shipment, and the government said it planned to import 65 million litres of fuel to end the crisis.
Zambia is facing shortages of petrol and diesel after its sole oil refinery shut last month for maintenance and a lack of naphtha, a product used in the refining process.
A senior manager at Konkola Copper Mines, the country's largest copper producer, said the fuel situation remained critical.
"We are still running at half capacity at Nkana smelter.
"We are still producing 300 tons of copper per day instead of 600 tons," he said.
An industry source said the Mufulira smelter, run by Mopani Copper Mines, a joint venture of Swiss trader Glencore International and Canada's First Quantum Minerals, remained shut.
But Bwana Mkubwa mine, a unit of First Quantum Minerals, said it had received enough fuel to continue normal operations.
"We received 20 000 litres of diesel on Saturday and Sunday to run for the whole week and the situation looks fine for now. We hope to receive more stocks," said Bwana Mkubwa's general manager, Rudi Badenhorst.
Fuel shortages have also slowed Zambia's importation of 200 000 tons of maize from South Africa and Tanzania, stopped buses and forced thousands of commuters to walk to work.
Commerce and trade minister Dipak Patel said in a statement that the country's sole Indeni oil refinery would import 33 million litres of diesel and petrol, mainly for the all-important mining industry.
At the same time, oil marketing companies would import an additional 32 million litres of fuel, including heavy oil fuels used in copper mining.
The imports would begin immediately and should be completed within a month, he added.
Patel did not give a breakdown of diesel and petrol imports or where the fuel would be purchased.
- Reuters
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