Government lifts Mopani mine suspension after safety upgrades

Government, through the Minerals Regulation Commission (MRC), has lifted the suspension of underground operations at Mopani Copper Mines’ (MCM) Mufulira mine with immediate effect.

Mines and Minerals Development Principal Public Relations Officer, Kalani Muchima, said in a statement on Monday that the decision followed Mopani’s implementation of enhanced safety measures.

“The suspension was initially imposed due to the mine’s failure to comply with safety regulations, specifically the requirement to maintain an accurate personnel accounting system for underground workers,” Muchima said.

The MRC had invoked Section 56 of the Minerals Regulation Commission Act No. 14 of 2024, citing non-compliance with Part 218 of the Mining Regulations.

Muchima said the mine had now met the required standards through several corrective actions, including the installation of a Two-Point Manual Tag Board System and improved Shift Clearance Reporting, where the upgraded biometric system automatically generates a clearance report two hours after each shift.

He further noted that Mopani had installed and reactivated a Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) and real-time monitoring system at key control points, fully integrated with the access control system and equipped with archiving capabilities for compliance and audit purposes.

“These measures meet the requirements of Mining Regulation 218, ensuring a safe working environment for miners,” Muchima stated.

With the suspension lifted, Mopani is expected to resume full underground operations immediately, a move expected to support increased copper production.

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