The Minister of Mines of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Antoinette N’Samba Kalambayi, has taken a strong measure by temporarily suspending the mining activities of Boss Mining for a period of 3 months. The reason ? The environmental pollution released by this company. If nothing is done within three months to stop this pollution, this suspension will be renewed. The Minister of Mines wishes by this measure to empower this company and push it to take into account the environmental impacts of its activities.
Boss Mining is a mining company that produced copper cathodes and cobalt concentrates before it was suspended. Former Gécamines mining site, this company is located 60 km from the town of Likasi. It is one of the main assets of the Eurasian Resources Group (ERG).
This measure seems beneficial to fight against pollution, but must also be accompanied by measures to repair the damage suffered by the surrounding communities. Indeed, the latter are often the first victims of the pollution generated by mining companies.
It is important to emphasize the importance of taking into account the environmental impacts of economic activities in order to preserve the environment and the health of populations living nearby. Mining companies, in particular, have significant impacts on the environment and must be subject to strict environmental protection regulations.
It is time for mining companies to take responsibility for the environmental consequences of their activities. This suspension of Boss Mining by the Minister of Mines is therefore a courageous and necessary decision to protect the environment and local populations.