Yaluma suspends illegal mining activities at Black Mountain in Kitwe.

Mines Minister Christopher Yaluma has suspended the illegal mining activities on the copper slag dump commonly known as ‘black mountain’ located in Wusakile township Kitwe.
Mr Yaluma has since directed police to guard the area and ensure that all the illegal miners vacate the place immediately until government formalises the process of legally handing over the slag dump.

He said government was concerned with the safety of the miners so it wants to formalise the mining activities so that miners can mine freely and safely.

He noted that the facility is a death trap as it can collapse at any time.

Mr Yaluma was speaking in Kitwe yesterday when he met the illegal miners at the slag dump site.

The miners have since agreed to suspend their illegal mining activities until government formalises the handle over process.

And Mr Yaluma has observed that the slag dump can help to create jobs for the youths if properly managed.

And Kitwe District Commissioner Elias Kamanga who accompanied the minister to the site urged the illegal miners to form cooperatives and register their cooperatives in order to commence the process of awarding them mining certificates and mining portions.

Mr Kamanga said government wants to ensure that miners make significant profits from their mining activities.

And Kitwe District Police Deputy Commanding Officer Peter Miselo said the police will ensure that all the illegal miners vacate the place immediately.

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