The Zambian Copperbelt has historically referred to the mining region comprising several mining towns that include Ndola, Mufulira, Kitwe, Chililabombwe, Chingola, Kalulushi and Chambeshi. Quite recently, however, the term “Copperbelt” has also been used to describe the new and upcoming mining areas in the North-Western part of Zambia. The mining towns in this region include Solwezi, Lumwana and Kalumbila. Compared to commercial mining operations on the “old” Copperbelt that began as early as 1928, current mining activities in the “new” Copperbelt were commissioned as recently as 2004. Under the First Quantum Minerals regime, the Kansanshi and Kalumbila mines are amongst the few mines within the country that have adopted the greenfield approach to mining, employing newer mining technologies that enable the production of huge amounts of copper ores at lower costs than those incurred on the “old” Copperbelt mines.
Unlike the Kansanshi and Kalumbila mines that employ newer mining techniques, the Copperbelt mines apply relatively older mining technologies, and are further faced with mining liabilities of the mining operations conducted prior to the privatization of the industry. Amongst the techniques applied on the Copperbelt that have been directly linked to pollution is the acid leaching process which has been cited as a major means of water pollution within mining towns such as Mufulira where the technique is employed. That newer mining techniques are applied on the North-Western province mines does not, however, suggest the absence of pollution in this region.
The paper will analyse the national legislation and regulation pertaining to mining activities in Zambia. It will also examine the environmental practices of various “old” and “new” Copperbelt mines, as well as their adherence to stipulated environmental laws and regulations. The paper will further highlight the fact that despite the presence of “older” and “newer” mining activities, and the variations in mining technologies in the Zambian mining industry, national legislation and regulation remain lacking in addressing the question of environmental protection.