Konnoco Mining Limited commenced development of its Konkola North Copper Mine in Zambia with plans to produce more than 2 million tonnes of copper ore upon commencement of production next year as it focused to employ 1,500 people.

Mr Timothy Musonda commissioner of Chililabombwe district said that the copper miner co owners of the unit with Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines Investment Holdings said plans are in advanced stage to ensure that production of ore and subsequently finished copper have reached advanced stage.

The development of KONNOCO has begun at a cost of USD 400 million and it is projected that the mine will have an annual production capacity of 2.5 million tonnes of ore when it starts operating next year. The miner plans to relocate 1,900 residents of Poor People of Zambia town ship to an area near Konkola Township to provide for construction and development of the mine, one of the country’s Greenfields.

Mr Musonda said that Konnoco plans to construct new houses for the people that will be displaced from the location where the mine is being built and ensure that they are resettled. He did not provide more details on the cost of constructing the new structures for the affected people. People are happy with development projects being implemented in Chililabombwe despite the planned displacement by the miner.

He said that Chililabombwe has witnessed massive development in recent years and that Konnnoco is expected to provide more jobs to the local people through companies supplying goods and services to the mine.

Brazilian mining giant Vale, through its joint venture with African Rainbow Minerals of South Africa launched the USD 400 million KONNOCO project last year. It plans to recapitalize the project to about USD 1 billion in 5 years through infrastructure development at the mine.

According to data, the construction works started in August 2010, and the first copper ore extraction is scheduled for 2012 while full production due by 2015.The construction and development of the mine will take approximately 27 months.

Mr Musonda urged that Chililabombwe residents to support government and the mine owners to ensure more jobs were created for local people as part of the empowerment program embarked upon by the government.

(Filed by Mr Kapembwa Sinkamba SteelGuru Correspondent Zambia)