Liberalisation of the economy in the early 2000s by the Zambian government led to the privatisation of the State owned mining assets. Kansanshi Mine in Solwezi, North-western province of Zambia was sold to First Quantum. When the company started mining in 2004, some families in Muzabula compound that where in proposed mining area were displaced. Mining induced displacement and resettlement (MIDR) led to loss of socio-cultural, economic and environmental aspects of the displaced families thereby affecting their livelihood. Included was loss of land, common property resources, and disruption of social networks, loss of traditional authority and identity and destruction of forests and loss of access to the river. The objective of the research was to evaluate the impact of MIDR on the livelihood of the displaced community of Muzabula Compound. The conceptual and theoretical framework was based on the ‘Impoverishment Risks and Reconstruction model’ that looks at impoverishment risk assessment of socio-cultural, economic and environmental aspect in its analysis that arise from displacement. Qualitative research methods were used to collect data through semi structured interviews with the community, mine representative and government officials. A total number of forty-seven participants took part in the interviews. Grounded theory was used for data analysis and interpretation. Displacement took place in two phases, in 2004 at the beginning of mining and in 2015 during the construction of the smelter road. During the first phase, people were compensated in form of money at $3190 (US Dollars) per 50 x 50 metres of land. The amount included houses, fruit trees, fields and whatever was on the land. The second phase, compensation was in form of good concrete houses better than the mad houses demolished and help in farming inputs and skills. The displaced families who were subsistence farmers improved their produce. The first displacement resulted in increased risks of impoverishment for the displaced due to loss of livelihood as the displaced families were not involved in the planning. The second displacement was properly planned and improved the displaced families’ livelihood. Planning must include all stakeholders who are the community, the government, Civil Society like the Church, Non-Governmental Organisations working in the community and the Mining Company officials. The 96 interests of the community to be displaced must be considered as a first priority. The paper concludes that Government must adhere to policies that govern mining displacement and resettlement to reduce on loss of livelihood for the displaced. In the first displacement this was not considered as the displaced families were not engaged in any planning meetings and were just informed by the government officials and traditional leadership that they will be displaced and compensated.

Failure of rock, when it does occur, follows definite mechanical laws and that its probability, can, at least in some instances, be predicted sufficiently in advance of actual occurrence so as to prevent any great danger to the miner. The article chronologically describes rock failure criteria of some practical and most frequently featured strength criteria for predicting failure mechanism of rocks from rock sample or models (lab scale) to total structure or rock mass breakdown (field scale). A cross section range of criteria, from the typical and indispensable to state of the art ones, categorised under isotropic or anisotropic, stress, strain and energy related failure criteria that are predominantly derived on the basis of Coulomb, von Mises and Griffith theories of failure are reviewed. More attention and discussion has been given to most practical criteria like the Mohr-Coulomb and Hoek-Brown. Evolution of mechanisms of rock failure over time by various authors. The paper demonstrates progression of rock failure criteria, and that current theories hinge on classical ones.

The paper reports research findings on the evaluation and design of the end of mine life ventilation system for the 5220L – 6365L ore zone of the Mopani Mindola Copper Mine in Kitwe, Zambia. The purpose of mine ventilation is to provide suitable environmental conditions in working places. The objectives of the research were: firstly, the evaluation of the current mine ventilation system for the 4440L – 5220L ore zone, taking into account the aged ventilation system infrastructure and, secondly, building of a ventilation baseline database for design of the end of mine life ventilation system taking into account the planned increase in production, and subsequent increase in depth of mining from 1586m (current depth) to about 1930m (5220L – 6365L ore zone). In evaluating the current ventilation system and designing the end of mine life ventilation system the methodology involved, firstly, collection of the mine and equipment physical details as well as primary and secondary data of the current ventilation system by means of ventilation surveys, analyses, and computations as well as processing of obtained data so as to use it in the design of the end of mine life ventilation system. Findings were: High wet-bulb temperatures (in excess of or close to 31.0 o C) were recorded in several mining areas below 4440L; Low air volumes of 1.5 – 4.5m3/s and velocities of 0.6 – 1.5m/s (lower than legal/scientific baselines of 30.0m3/s and 4.0m/s respectively) were evident in a number of mining areas between 4370L and 4440L; Dust concentrations of ventilation air in almost all mining areas were compliant with the established legal and or scientific baselines of 100 ppm; Obnoxious gas concentrations both in the general body of ventilation air and diesel unit exhaust emissions were well below Zambian legal/global scientific baselines of 1000 ppm CO2 and 100ppm CO . The total quantity of air leakage was in excess of 224 m3/s (35 % of total downcast air). In summary, the computed heat loads in the current mining zone (4440L – 5220L) recorded that diesel engine equipment with a total heat load of 1,792.5 kW (49% of the total heat generated) was the highest contributor, indicating it to be the 127 most important variable. Secondly, electrical equipment (fans), exposed rock (strata), metabolism, and others accounted for 1,861.5 kW (51% of the total heat generated). In conclusion, reduction and or replacement of diesel equipment electrical equipment would bring about significant reduction in mine heat load, and reduce or eliminate the need for refrigeration of the Mindola mine workings at depth.

The mining industry has both positive and negative impacts on their host communities. Therefore, it is not enough for mines to only rely on the legal licence, but instead, they need to nurture a trust-based relationship with the community called ‘Social License to Operate’ (SLO). The main objective of the study was to examine how ‘Social License to Operate’ can be developed and sustained using community engagement between Konkola Copper Mines - Nchanga Mine (KCM) and the communities within 10 km radius from the mine operations in Chingola, Zambia. The conceptual and theoretical framework of the study was grounded in the ‘Relative Deprivation Theory’ and the ‘Social Identity Theory’. The methodology of the study was qualitative and delved into a contemporary stakeholder risk issue affecting KCM. Therefore, data in the form of voice recordings and field notes was collected through 28 semi-structured interviews out of an estimated population size of over 28,000 households from five research sites, namely, Chiwempala, Nchanga North, Kapisha, Lulamba and Shimulala in Chingola that sufficiently demonstrated data saturation in the participants’ responses. From data collected, analysis and interpretation, through ‘Thematic Content Data Analysis’, three themes emerged which were adopted as variables of ‘Trust’; ‘Social Infrastructure’ and ‘Interactional Trust’ which deals with the quality and quantity of engagement while ‘Procedural Fairness’ looks at how the mine’s stakeholder engagement and grievance mechanism procedures contributed towards building a mutual relationship with the community. Of the 28 participants, 34 per cent benefitted from the mines through access to income generation while the remainder were negatively impacted through unemployment, poor community infrastructure, high moral decay, poor social services delivery and environmental pollution. Further, 69 per cent complained of lack of engagement and only 7 per cent expressed satisfaction on how their complaints were resolved. Further 67 110 per cent did not share any relationship with the mine. Key findings, based on this research, were that KCM – Nchanga Mine has a mixed ‘Social License to Operate’ because four townships accepted the company while one township strongly felt that they do not share any relationship with the mine as they had not benefitted from the mineral wealth naturally entitled to them. The conclusion was that it is cardinal for mines to develop a highly active collaborative relationship with the community as a pathway to sustainable mining. The recommendation was that lessons learnt from this study can be adopted by other mines with legacy socio-environmental issues to build and maintain their ‘Social License to Operate’ through having a robust integrated community engagement system.

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