Agency reports have it that the prospects for a copper-mining joint venture which would mark Anglo-American return to Zambia after 20 years have been lifted by the reopening of the country’s mining cadastre office.
According to the report, the office’s work had been disrupted since closure in February with the mines ministry saying the previous granting of licenses had been tainted by deep-necked corruption. However, the office got reopened on October 19 and will start accepting new license applications from November 21.
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Nick von Schirnding, Executive Chairman of Anglo American’s prospective JV partner Arc Minerals, said that, “The clean-up is very good news for Zambia.”
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In his view, “Corruption corrodes the whole system and will destroy value. Zambia is in the process of cleaning up its act.”
