What China is doing to Africa :: Mmegi Online

‘If Botswana wants to refine copper it will not get the voluntary agreement of the mine owners. They want off-take agreements that give them maximum flexibility which means they will want to sign agreements that are for the life of the mine.The Ministry of Minerals Energy and Water Resources must put its foot down and say no and give the copper miners the same deal that was given BCL decades ago- a five year renewable off-take agreement that terminates when Botswana has its own refinery. If we do not do this as a first step then in 30 years we will be left with holes in the ground as in the case of BCL and Tati. The next step will be to assure that a refinery is actually built.’

This week Botswana’s emerging as well as existing copper and base metals firms along with government are meeting in Maun to discuss the road ahead for beneficiation in the country. Two things are pretty clear. The copper companies will want nothing to do with the country’s desire to beneficiate its base metals and, at least for the moment, the iron ore and coal miners will. It is rare that a simple answer explains such a difference but to bend slightly President Clinton’s very successful election campaign slogan against George Bush the Elder in 1992- ‘it’s the price –stupid’.

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