Anvil Mining (AVM-T) has temporarily suspended mining operations at its Dikulushi copper-silver mine in the southeastern Congo’s Katanga province following the appearance of an armed rebel group in the town of Kilwa, where Anvil has port facilities.
Anvil says that while there has been “some local conflict” in Kilwa, the fighting has not moved towards Dikulushi, 54 km to the north.
As a precautionary measure, mining has ceased and 75 non-essential staff have been moved from the mine site to the provincial capital of Lubumbashi, 320 km (500 km by road) to the southwest.
Prior to the evacuation, the total workforce at Dikulushi was 480 staff.
Anvil’s security staff, including the group security manager and the mine manager, remain on site in order to monitor the situation and coordinate the future return of staff.
Anvil says its security personnel have “talked with the leader of the rebel group, who has advised that his group has no intention of taking over the Dikulushi mine,” and that his group “had no issues with Anvil, Anvil expatriate personnel, nor the Dikulushi mine.”
The rebel group in Kilwa is described by Anvil as comprising 50-100 people, the leader of which is “not dressed in uniform and wears sandals.”
Concludes Anvil: “The rebel group appears to be a small band of disaffected individuals seeking representation.”
The company expects the situation to be resolved over the weekend, and notes that national government is “moving quickly to return the situation to normal.”
A feature story on the Dikulushi mine is in this week’s paper edition of The Northern Miner (T.N.M., Oct. 15-21).
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