ASX-listed exploration and mining company Zambezi Resources has received formal approval from the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (Zema), confirming the approval of the environmental-impact study (EIS) for its flagship Kangaluwi copper project, after Zema’s initial rejection of the EIS, owing to environmental concerns.

This follows the approval of the project by the Zambia Minister of Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection last month, which was instrumental in overturning Zema’s rejection of the EIS.

The Kangaluwi copper project mining licence, located 180 km east of Lusaka, covers 245 km2 of the 4 092 km2 Lower Zambezi National Park.

Zambezi Resources says it is aware of and has listened carefully to the concerns raised by Zema about the project, and has worked diligently to address these issues to minimise the environmental impact of the mine.

As a result of the project’s location, the construction and development of the mine are subject to a range of conditions laid down by Zema to ensure total compliance with the objectives of the Environment Management Act of 2011, which will be monitored and supervised by Zema.

Thanking the Ministry of Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection for overturning the Zema rejection of the company’s EIS, Zambezi Resources chairperson David Vilensky said the Zambian government allowed the Kangaluwi copper project to proceed within the national park as part of its revised Mineral Resources Development Policy.

The policy seeks to strike a fair balance between the benefits of mining and the protection of the environment and wildlife conservation, he said.

Securing formal approval of the EIS represents a major milestone for Zambezi Resources as it can now proceed to take the Kangaluwi copper project to the development stage and become an emerging producer.

Zambezi Resources says it is committed to working with local communities and environmentalists to ensure the conservation of the Lower Zambezi National Park and the company, as a result, aims to develop the “cleanest, greenest and safest copper mine ever built”.