(Reuters) – The Zambian government said a company that is developing a copper mine in Lower Zambezi National Park must immediately halt all activities.
Mwembeshi Resources Ltd. must stop all work to develop the $494 million Kangaluwi copper project in the wildlife-rich park, Collins Nzovu, the minister of green economy and environment, said in Lusaka on Wednesday. The company violated a number of environmental conditions pertaining to the project, Nzovu said.
He added that the Zambia Environmental Management Agency on Wednesday “served a compliance order” on Mwembeshi Resources to stop road construction and mining related activities and construction of buildings.
The company’s plans for the project has been heavily criticized by conservationists who say mining is a threat to wildlife such as elephants, will hurt a flourishing tourism industry and toxic chemicals from a planned tailings facility could end up contaminating water in the Zambezi basin posing danger to livelihoods.
The risk of pollution from the operations could also place Zimbabwe’s nearby Mana Pools National Park, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, at risk, environmentalists say.
(Reporting by Chris Mfula, writing by Felix Njini; Editing by Toby Chopra)
