The Minister of Mines of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Antoinette N’Samba Kalambayi, announced the temporary suspension of mining activities of Boss Mining for a period of three months. This decision follows the environmental pollution caused by this company. If nothing is done to stop this pollution, this suspension will be renewed.
In her correspondence addressed to the CEO of Boss Mining, the minister wrote: “in application of article 570, paragraph 2 of the Mining Regulations, I suspend all your mining activities for a period of three months, with the possibility of renewal of this measure , as long as you have not implemented the recommendations sent to you by the Director-Head of the Mining Environment Protection Service through his letter referenced 201/DPEM/2023 of May 12, 2023”.
Boss Mining is a mining company located in Kakanda, a former Gécamines mining site in Lubudi District, 60 km from the town of Likasi. It produces copper cathodes and cobalt concentrates and is a core asset of Eurasian Resources Group (ERG). Its activities include surface mining, upgrading facilities, concentrating and a selective sorting facility.
The suspension of this company’s activities highlights the importance of preserving the environment and natural resources, as well as the need to hold companies accountable for their actions. This is a positive step towards more environmentally friendly mining in the DRC.
This decision is welcomed by the communities affected by the environmental pollution caused by the mining activities of Boss Mining. The Minister of Mines also invited the Secretary General for Mines to take all necessary measures to repair the damage suffered by the communities.
However, much more needs to be done to ensure sustainable mining in the DRC. The DRC has enormous natural resources, but ensuring their responsible exploitation is essential for sustainable socio-economic development.