Firm produces manganese in Zambia

KABWE – Chinese-owned Chiman Manufacturing Ltd. has started processing manganese at its mine in Zambia, with production expected to peak at 50 000 tonnes a year, a senior company official said on Monday.

Chiman Manufacturing Ltd deputy general manager Li Ke Kun said commercial production of manganese would start in May, with 16 000 tonnes expected to be produced this year. The firm is currently having trial runs.Li told Reuters some manganese would be exported to Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa and some would be used by local industry.Chiman Manufacturing’s mine is the first manganese mine to be opened in mineral-rich Zambia.”Our production will start with 16 000 tonnes per year (and) this will rise to 50 000 tonnes every year after expansion of our processing plant,” Li said through an interpreter.He gave no timeframe.Li said US$10 million had been invested in the project and that more funds would be ploughed into new equipment and construction of a new smelter to reach peak production of 50 000 tonnes.Chiman Manufacturing, which is run by Chinese investors, has constructed a processing plant eight kilometres from the mine.Li said the government had offered the firm tax relief such as a waiver on a 25 per cent duty on imported equipment for investing in Kabwe, a desolate mining town.Li said the firm, which currently employs 11 Chinese mining experts and 120 Zambians, plans to raise its employee numbers to 200 when another smelter is put up.Manganese is used mainly in the steel industry.Nampa-ReutersThe firm is currently having trial runs.Li told Reuters some manganese would be exported to Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa and some would be used by local industry.Chiman Manufacturing’s mine is the first manganese mine to be opened in mineral-rich Zambia.”Our production will start with 16 000 tonnes per year (and) this will rise to 50 000 tonnes every year after expansion of our processing plant,” Li said through an interpreter.He gave no timeframe.Li said US$10 million had been invested in the project and that more funds would be ploughed into new equipment and construction of a new smelter to reach peak production of 50 000 tonnes.Chiman Manufacturing, which is run by Chinese investors, has constructed a processing plant eight kilometres from the mine.Li said the government had offered the firm tax relief such as a waiver on a 25 per cent duty on imported equipment for investing in Kabwe, a desolate mining town.Li said the firm, which currently employs 11 Chinese mining experts and 120 Zambians, plans to raise its employee numbers to 200 when another smelter is put up.Manganese is used mainly in the steel industry.Nampa-Reuters