Authorities in Zambia have started reviewing regulations in the mining sector to take consideration of the discovery of uranium and other radioactive minerals, state-media reported on Tuesday.
The Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development said it has commenced the process of reviewing the regulations governing the mining of uranium.
Some mining firms have announced plans to start uranium mining while others extract it as a by-product of copper ore.
Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development Paul Chanda said there was need to update the 2008 regulations governing the mining industry and that a draft law has since been sent to the attorney general’s office for consideration.
“We have made a draft which we have sent to the attorney general for consideration, we want the regulations in the mining of uranium to be update,” he is quoted as saying by the Times of Zambia.
The updating of the regulations on the mining and handling of uranium would allow the country to generate electricity using uranium, he added.
According to him, a study conducted by the ministry and other stakeholders showed that the country was expected to start generation of power from uranium in the next 10 to 15 years.
The ministry was also working on a policy on the management, handling, storage, application and disposal of uranium. Enditem
Source: Xinhua
