Gillian
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WITH PICTURE
SEPTEMBER 28, 2020
FQM HANDS OVER COMMUNITY GAME RESERVE TO NTAMBU CHIEFDOM
The mining firm has invested over $4.5 million in conservation activities in and around West Lunga National Park and surrounding Game Management Areas since 2014
Traditional leaders with Chiefs and Traditional Affairs Minister Hon. Lawrence Sichalwe attend the handover of Ntambu Community Game Reserve by FQM.
KALUMBILA, ZAMBIA – First Quantum Minerals’ Kalumbila Minerals Limited has handed over the Ntambu Community Game Reserve to Chief Ntambu’s chiefdom of Mwinilunga District in North-Western Province to establishing conservation-based economies around the West Lunga Management Area.
The game reserve is the only community-owned game reserve in Zambia, wholly owned and managed by the community which also has total wildlife user rights.
Speaking during the handover on Saturday, FQM Country Manager General Kingsley Chinkuli: “Our pledge to tackle climate change, and preserve natural habitats, has borne another good fruit – the restocking of the game reserve in the Ntambu chiefdom.
Gen. Chinkuli added that the game reserve will be restocked with a starter population of 100 impalas and various antelope species – an investment of about US$150,000 over the next two years.
The event was graced by Chiefs and Traditional Affairs Minister Hon. Lawrence Sichalwe MP and attended by His Royal Highness Chief Ntambu, Senior Chief Sailunga and senior government officials and representatives of the of the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW).
The mining firm, through the Trident Foundation, has invested over $4.5 million in conservation activities in and around the West Lunga Management Area since 2014.
“First Quantum Minerals Limited prides itself in creating initiatives that serve as excellent models in many spheres of mine operations in Zambia, and in this particular case the rehabilitation of Game Reserve Areas in order to directly benefit the communities in the area of it operations and also Zambia at large,” he added.
Gen. Chinkuli said that away from the conservation values that the game reserve will serve, it will also provide spin-off business opportunities in hunting and photographic tourism in the area.
The mining firm’s environmental strategies are based on the need provide an economic value in the country, while running its business in a socially and ethically accountable way, as well as ensuring lasting and sustainable developments
Chief Ntambu thanked the Trident Foundation for the provision of financial, material and management support towards the realisation of the project.
Meanwhile, Minister of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs Lawrence Sichalwe extended his gratitude to the Trident Foundation on behalf of the Zambian government.
He said government considered the wildlife estates network as valuable ecological assets because of the environmental benefits game management areas provide for community welfare and economic activities.
“Let me assure Kalumbila Minerals’ Trident Foundation and all present, of the government’s commitment to these developmental activities. I have no doubt that these efforts will in the medium- to long-term have a positive impact on the lives of our people as well as provide valuable policy lessons for the government,” he said.
Mr Sichalwe assured attendants at the handover event that government is committed to such development activities and will continue supporting cooperating partners.
FQM has made it a top priority to build strong partnerships to ensure that it identifies and implements opportunities to improve the conservation of biodiversity, achieve best practice in biodiversity management and identify ways to contribute to conservation in areas where it operates.
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About First Quantum Minerals Ltd
First Quantum Minerals Ltd is a global metals and mining company producing mainly copper, gold and zinc. The company’s assets are in Zambia, Spain, Mauritania, Australia, Finland, Turkey, Panama, Argentina and Peru.
In 2019, First Quantum globally produced 702,000 tonnes of copper, 257,000 ounces of gold and 18,000 tonnes of zinc.
In Zambia it operates the Kansanshi mine – the largest copper mine in Africa by production – and smelter and the Sentinel mine in Kalumbila.
The company is listed on the Lusaka and Toronto stock exchanges.
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