An Australian firm, Albidon Ltd., launched the construction of a $100 million new nickel mine in southern Zambia on April 3, a project which will lead to dozens of people being displaced.
The Munali Nickel Project is estimated to have an output of over 900,000 tons of nickel, which is expected to be mined for a period of 10 years, company chief executive officer Dale Rodgers announced.
The construction of the mine has raised concern among civil society groups who are opposed to the displacement of villagers from their traditional land. Albidon said it would construct houses for the over 50 villagers expected to be displaced by the construction of the new mine situated in Mazabuka, a tiny town 60 kilometers south of the capital, Lusaka.
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2007
