Zambia has approved the proposed takeover of Equinox Minerals by Barrick Gold on condition the government keeps its 2.2 percent stake in Equinox, a regulatory body said on Friday.
The Zambia Competition and Consumer Protection Commission granted final conditional authorisation of the acquisition as the deal did not raise any competition concerns, it said in a statement.
“The commission has authorised the transaction on condition that Barrick Gold does not acquire 2.2 percent shares in Equinox that Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines – Investment Holdings holds,” it said.
Australian Equinox, which operates its wholly-owned Lumwana mine in Zambia, agreed in April to be bought by Canada’s Barrick for more than C$7 billion.
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The mining industry has been the economic and social backbone on Zambia since the first major phase of exploitation of the Copperbelt's Cu-CO deposits ...
Zambia is Internationally recognised as a major producer of copper and cobalt. Zambia is ranked as the world's seventh largest producer of copper, generating 3.3% of the western worlds production, and worlds second largest producer of cobalt (19.7%).
ZCCM Investments Holdings is an investments holdings company. ZCCM-IH is a successor company to Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines Limited (ZCCM Ltd). Prior to privatization in 2000, ZCCM Ltd was a consolidated copper mining conglomerate majority owned by the Zambian government. ZCCM retains a small stake in most copper mining operations in Zambia.
Konkola Copper Mines is a leading integrated copper producer in Zambia. The KCM is primarily engaged in the mining, production and sale of copper and copper by-products. KCM is a wholly owned indirect subsidiary of Vedanta Resources Plc.
The copper mining operations of KCM are located in the Zambian Copperbelt.
The Copperbelt ore deposits lie along a 50 kilometre wide strip that extends for 150 kilometres from Chililabombwe in the northwest to Luanshya in the southeast of Zambia.
The geological setting of the Zambian Copperbelt is unusual compared to other worldwide copper deposits in that it occurs in sedimentary host rocks that have high carbonate content. The presence of dolomite in the geological sequence effectively eliminates any risk of acid mine drainage.
The dominant structural feature of the Zambian Copperbelt is the Kafue Anticline, a northwest-southeast striking structure, the core of which is comprised of granite, schist and gneiss of the basement below the sedimentary rock formations.
Mopani Copper Mines Plc is a joint venture company in which Glencore International AG has the majority stake (73%). Mopani Copper Mine is an integrated copper and cobalt producer located in the Copperbelt of Zambia. Mopani's operations consist of four underground mines, a concentrator and a cobalt plant in the town of Kitwe and an underground mine, concentrator, smelter and refinery in the town of Mufulira.
The capacity of the Mufulira Copper Smelter is being expanded in a phased approach to 870,000 tons of concentrate by the end of 2010. The current capacity with the new Isa smelt furnace is 650,000 tons of concentrate.
Chibuluma is situated in the heart of the northern copper belt, west of Kitwe. Metorex acquired 85% of the company in 1997, while the remaining 15% is held by the Zambian Government and Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines Limited. With an estimated mine life of seven years, the mine currently produces approximately 16,000 tons of copper per annum.
Equinox Minerals is currently focused on operating its 100% owned large scale Lumwana copper mine in Zambia, one of the largest new copper mines to be developed globally over the last decade. Following nearly 10 years of feasibility, financing and construction, the mine was commissioned in December 2008 -
Australian Equinox, which operates its wholly-owned Lumwana mine in Zambia, agreed in April to be bought by Canada’s Barrick for more than C$7 billion.
The Lumwana copper mine is located 220 kilometres west of the world-renowned Zambian Copperbelt. This mine has measured and indicated resources of 342.5 million tonnes of ore grading 0.74% Cu, plus inferred resources of 563.1 million tonnes at 0.63% Cu.
At initial design capacity, Lumwana will process in excess of 20 million tonnes of ore each year, over a mine life of 37 years. Lumwana is the largest new mine in a generation and the largest single capital investment in Zambian history. At full capacity, it is expected that Lumwana will provide around 20% of the country’s total metal copper output.
The Kansanshi mine, the world’s 8th largest copper mine, is 80% owned by Kansanshi Mining PLC, a First Quantum subsidiary. The remaining 20% is owned by a subsidiary of ZCCM. The mine is located approximately 10 kilometres north of the town of Solwezi and 180 kilometres to the northwest of the Copperbelt town of Chingola.
The Trident project comprises five prospecting licences totalling 2,300 square kilometres containing a number of attractive base metal prospects including the Sentinel deposit. The Trident project, approximately 150 kilometres from Solwezi in north-west Zambia, was obtained through the acquisition of Kiwara PLC in February 2010. First Quantum is ramping up exploration at the Sentinel copper deposit at the Trident project, planning to complete an economic assessment on the project before the end of 2010.
In 2003 First Quantum Minerals completed the expansion of the Bwana Mkubwa leach SX-EW plant. The mine was closed in 2009 due to a slump in copper prices, but has since recommenced operations..
This follows the revival of full operations at the Luanshya Copper Mines. The Luanshya mine is 85% owned by China Nonferrous Metals Mining, commonly known as NFC Africa. The Chambishi underground mine is also owned by NFC Africa.