Corporate Responsibility
Lumwana and Sustainability of the Local Community
Equinox has already had a direct positive impact on the local community at Lumwana, and will continue to do so as it builds sustainable community programs that will grow and develop long after the mine is exhausted. Equinox has developed and fosters a strong relationship with each of the three traditional chiefs and their chiefdoms in which contain the Lumwana large scale mining licence. Employment preference and sourcing initially is done via these Chiefs to ensure maximum local participation in employment opportunities as well as ensuring the Company fully harnesses local available skills. This alone has had a dramatic impact in this largely undeveloped part of the country. This relationship has gone much further and is now extended beyond direct employment alone to infrastructural projects as well as capacity building training in many and diverse areas.
The Company implements education and training programs, including sponsoring 54 scholarships to the University of Zambia as well as 90 high school scholarships and traineeships. Equinox also provides local capacity building programs for small to medium scale businesses, in conjunction with carefully selected NGO partners, in such areas as textiles, floral products and supporting local market days.
In addition, the development of agriculture and aquaculture into commercial operations capable of providing primary produce to the surrounding areas has been a priority. Equinox has established the Lumwana Development Trust Fund that has so far built 30 classrooms for local schools, 4 teacher’s houses, 3 medical clinics, 1 community library and 2 women’s development centres.
Equinox and Lumwana will continue to play a pivotal role in the development of local community capacity and empowerment as well as the broader impact it has on Zambia as a nation.” The company’s next milestone is in conjunction with the Government of the Republic of Zambia to develop a multi-facility economic zone (MFEZ) to attract other investors for economic diversification in the surrounding Lumwana area.
Environmental Impact Assessment
Following a period of public consultation and disclosure of the Environmental Impact Assessment and in accordance with Zambian Regulations and World Bank Guidelines, the Company received EIA approval for the Lumwana Project from the Environmental Council of the Republic of Zambia in late 2005.
Equinox now holds all necessary permits.
Lumwana Copper Project Environmental Impact
Assessment (7MB)
Lumwana Copper Project Environmental Impact
Assessment Appendices A-R (4MB)
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