Lumwana

'Lumwana is a mining town located in Zambia's Solwezi District, North-Western Province. It is located approximately 170 kilometres (110 mi), by road, west of Solwezi and about 96 kilometres (60 mi), by road, east of Mwinilunga along the T5 Highway. This location lies approximately 660 kilometres (410 mi), by road, northwest of Lusaka, the capital of Zambia and the largest city in that country.

History

Prior to 1999, Lumwana was a rural village. In 1999, Equinox Minerals Limited acquired the nearby Lumwana Copper Mine. Over the next ten years, working with its Zambian subsidiary, Lumwana Mining Company Limited, Equinox carried out feasibility studies, sourced financing and constructed the present infrastructure. The mine was commissioned in December 2008 and is the largest employer in the town. In July 2011, Barrick Gold acquired a 100% interest in Lumwana mine. As of second quarter 2013, the mine employoed approximately 1,850 employees and 4,400 contractors. In addition to copper, the mine also produces cobalt, gold, and uranium. An economic development zone, called Lumwana Multi-Facility Economic Zone (LMFEZ), is being developed around the mining operations, to include among others; manufacturing, agroprocessing, hotels and resorts.