Government keen to support mining ventures in forestry areas

By Chrissy Fereciah Nkumba

The Ministry of Mining says it conducts regular consultations with Departments of Environmental Affairs and Forestry to enable implementation of mining projects in forestry and environmentally sensitive areas.

Spokesperson for the Ministry Andrew Mkonda says this in an interview following complaints by some mining investors that some projects such as rare earth prospecting at Chambe Basin on Mulanje Mountain have stalled due to failure by the Forestry Department to grant a permit to the investor, Akatswiri Mineral Resources, to continue its exploration activities.

“The Ministry continues to consult with the Department of Environmental Affairs and Department of Forestry on these issues and through their attendance during the Mineral Resources Committee (MRC) meetings. These departments have their own conditions and guidelines, which all other operators must abide by,” Mkonda says.

He, however, reveals that engagement sessions with the Departments have revealed that some investors fail to adhere to the rules established by these authorities, which results in unnecessarily long delays in the issuance of clearances or permits.

“However, as a Ministry, we frequently work with them to expedite the process for our clients, particularly for projects that are of national significance,” he says.

Mkonda explains that the Ministry of Mining is duty bound to grant licences to those investors that satisfy all necessary conditions under the Mines and Minerals Act (No. 8 of 2019), including environmental protection obligations.

“A project for which an environmental and social impact assessment is mandated under the Environment Management Act, may not be granted a licence until such a requirement is met,” Mkonda says.

Responding to investor concerns over delays in the award of mineral licenses, Mkonda explains that the regularity with which the MRC convenes has, in the past, been affected by events that were beyond the Ministry’s control.

“For example, you may remember that the Ministry of Mining was established in the year 2020. This transition negatively affected the activities of the officials involved in addition to the prohibition of meetings caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” he says.

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