In some contexts the term Copperbelt may exclude the Congo entirely. Zambia's Copperbelt became a province soon after independence in 1964, when it was named "Western province". President Kenneth Kaunda changed the name to its present-day "Copperbelt province" in 1969. From the time of the Bantu expansion, both the Congo's Katanga and Zambia's Copperbelt regions have been called "Ilamba" or "Lambaland", after the Lamba people. Both provinces are rich in mineral wealth.
The Copperbelt was not inhabited before the arrival of the Lamba people from the Luba and Lunda kingdoms.[dubious – discuss] The Lamba settled at Lake Kashiba, and from there the Lamba kingdom spread eastward, northward, southward and westward.
Historyedit
Rwandanmigrant workers in a Congolese copper mine, c.1920, during the Belgian colonial periodCopperbelt mining centersPre-colonial copper coin from the Katanga Province. These coins forming the Katanga Cross are no longer produced, but those remaining are used symbolically among traditional families for the payment of dowry (along with money and other goods).
The Western discovery of copper in Zambia is partly due to American scout Frederick Russell Burnham. In 1895 he led the Northern Territories (BSA) Exploration Co. expedition, which determined that major copper deposits existed in Central Africa.[1] Along the Kafue River in then-Northern Rhodesia, Burnham saw many similarities to copper deposits he had worked in the United States, and he encountered natives wearing copper bracelets.[2] In his report to the British South Africa Company Burnham said about the region:[3]
About 200 miles north of the Falls on the Incalla river, and twelve miles from the Kafukwe [now known as the Kafue River] and still on the high plateau is probably one of the greatest copper fields on the continent. The natives have worked this ore for ages, as can be seen by their old dumps, and they work it to-day. The field is very extensive, and reaches away to Katanga... The natives inhabiting this part of the country are skilled workmen, and have traded their handiwork with all comers, even as far afield as the Portuguese of the West Coast and the Arabs of the East. These natives, being miners and workers of copper and iron, and being permanently located in the ground, would give the very element needed in developing these fields.
The increasing use of copper bids fair to make it one of the most valuable products a country can have.... The copper mines of Montana and Arizona have proven of more value than the gold mines, regardless of the fact that the copper had to be hauled two thousand miles by rail to the seaboard, and the coal and coke to smelt it hauled hundreds of miles to the mines. So far as natural difficulties are concerned, this northern field can be fed from the coal deposits of the valley of the Zambezi [Burnham had previously discovered massive coal fields at Hwange], and the product shipped to the East Coast at a less expense than the product of Montana and Arizona can be laid on the dock at New York.
The Katanga Supergroup is a Neoproterozoic sequence of geological formations found in central Africa.[6] The formation is well-studied for its rich stratiform copper-cobalt deposits mined extensively in from the Central African Copperbelt in Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Particularly rich outcrops of the Roan Group of the supergroup occur in eastern Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo where open-pit copper mining has occurred.
The Katanga Supergroup nonconformably overlies the 883 Ma Nchanga Granite.[6] The Katangan Supergroup is divided into four metasedimentary series, from the oldest siliclastic and dolomitic Roan Group conglomerates, sandstones, and shales, to Nguba Group of mostly carbonates and carbon-rich shales, to the youngest, upper most Kundelungu Group including glacial metasediments and a cap carbonate.[6][7]
The Katanga Supergroup correlates with rocks of the Makuti Group in other parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo.[8]
^Baxter, T.W.; E.E. Burke (1970). Guide to the Historical Manuscripts in the National Archives of Rhodesia. p. 67.
^Burnham, Frederick Russell (1926). Scouting on Two Continents. Doubleday, Page & company. pp. 2, Chapters 3 & 4. OCLC 407686.
^Burnham, Frederick Russell (1899). "Northern Rhodesia". In Wills, Walter H. (ed.). Bulawayo Up-to-date; Being a General Sketch of Rhodesia. Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent & Co. pp. 177–180.
^Juang, Richard M. (2008). Africa and the Americas: culture, politics, and history : a multidisciplinary encyclopedia, Volume 2 Transatlantic relations series. ABC-CLIO. p. 1157. ISBN1-85109-441-5.
^Heinrich, E. Wm. (1958). Mineralogy and Geology of Radioactive Raw Materials. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc. p. 298.
^ abcMaster, S; C. Rainaud; R.A. Armstrong; D. Phillips; L.J. Robb (2005). "Provenance ages of the Neoproterozoic Katanga Supergroup (Central African Copperbelt), with implications for basin evolution". Journal of African Earth Sciences. 42: 41–60. doi:10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2005.08.005.
^Rainaud, C.; S. Master; R.A. Armstrong; L.J. Robb (2005). "Geochronology and nature of the Palaeoproterozoic basement in the Central African Copperbelt (Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo), with regional implications". Journal of African Earth Sciences. 42: 1–31. doi:10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2005.08.006.
^Hunter, D.R., ed. (1981). Precambrian of the Southern hemisphere. Amsterdam: Elsevier Scientific. ISBN978-0-444-41862-3.[page needed]
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mines in Zambia and Mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Descriptive Models, Grade-Tonnage Relations, and Databases for the Assessment of Sediment-Hosted Copper Deposits, with Emphasis on Deposits in the Central African Copperbelt, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia
copperbelt, province, zambia, province, french, ceinture, cuivre, natural, region, central, africa, which, sits, border, region, between, northern, zambia, southern, democratic, republic, congo, known, copper, mining, central, african, copper, belt, geologic, . For the province in Zambia see Copperbelt Province The Copperbelt French ceinture du cuivre is a natural region in Central Africa which sits on the border region between northern Zambia and the southern Democratic Republic of Congo It is known for copper mining Central African Copper Belt geologic map of Katanga Supergroup and mine locationsTraditionally the term Copperbelt includes the mining regions of Zambia s Copperbelt Province notably the towns of Ndola Kitwe Chingola Luanshya and Mufulira in particular and the Congo s Haut Katanga and Lualaba provinces notably Lubumbashi Kolwezi and Likasi It arises because of the Katanga Supergroup a Neoproterozoic sequence of geological formations In some contexts the term Copperbelt may exclude the Congo entirely Zambia s Copperbelt became a province soon after independence in 1964 when it was named Western province President Kenneth Kaunda changed the name to its present day Copperbelt province in 1969 From the time of the Bantu expansion both the Congo s Katanga and Zambia s Copperbelt regions have been called Ilamba or Lambaland after the Lamba people Both provinces are rich in mineral wealth Contents 1 Prehistory 2 History 3 Katanga Supergroup 4 Mines of the Katanga Supergroup 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksPrehistory editThe Copperbelt was not inhabited before the arrival of the Lamba people from the Luba and Lunda kingdoms dubious discuss The Lamba settled at Lake Kashiba and from there the Lamba kingdom spread eastward northward southward and westward History edit nbsp Rwandan migrant workers in a Congolese copper mine c 1920 during the Belgian colonial period nbsp Copperbelt mining centers nbsp Pre colonial copper coin from the Katanga Province These coins forming the Katanga Cross are no longer produced but those remaining are used symbolically among traditional families for the payment of dowry along with money and other goods The Western discovery of copper in Zambia is partly due to American scout Frederick Russell Burnham In 1895 he led the Northern Territories BSA Exploration Co expedition which determined that major copper deposits existed in Central Africa 1 Along the Kafue River in then Northern Rhodesia Burnham saw many similarities to copper deposits he had worked in the United States and he encountered natives wearing copper bracelets 2 In his report to the British South Africa Company Burnham said about the region 3 About 200 miles north of the Falls on the Incalla river and twelve miles from the Kafukwe now known as the Kafue River and still on the high plateau is probably one of the greatest copper fields on the continent The natives have worked this ore for ages as can be seen by their old dumps and they work it to day The field is very extensive and reaches away to Katanga The natives inhabiting this part of the country are skilled workmen and have traded their handiwork with all comers even as far afield as the Portuguese of the West Coast and the Arabs of the East These natives being miners and workers of copper and iron and being permanently located in the ground would give the very element needed in developing these fields The increasing use of copper bids fair to make it one of the most valuable products a country can have The copper mines of Montana and Arizona have proven of more value than the gold mines regardless of the fact that the copper had to be hauled two thousand miles by rail to the seaboard and the coal and coke to smelt it hauled hundreds of miles to the mines So far as natural difficulties are concerned this northern field can be fed from the coal deposits of the valley of the Zambezi Burnham had previously discovered massive coal fields at Hwange and the product shipped to the East Coast at a less expense than the product of Montana and Arizona can be laid on the dock at New York Many years later the British South Africa Company built towns along the river and a railroad to transport the copper through Mozambique 4 During the 1950s the Copperbelt was the largest copper producing area in the world including the Roan Antelope Mine Nkana Mine Nchanga Mines Mufulira Mine and Rokana Mine Chalcopyrite bornite and chalcocite are found in the metamorphosed calcareous shales and arkoses of the Lower Roan Formation in the Katanga System 5 Katanga Supergroup edit nbsp Native copper Mufulira Mine of the Copperbelt Province of Zambia where the Katanga Supergroup formations are mined for copperThe Katanga Supergroup is a Neoproterozoic sequence of geological formations found in central Africa 6 The formation is well studied for its rich stratiform copper cobalt deposits mined extensively in from the Central African Copperbelt in Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo Particularly rich outcrops of the Roan Group of the supergroup occur in eastern Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo where open pit copper mining has occurred The Katanga Supergroup nonconformably overlies the 883 Ma Nchanga Granite 6 The Katangan Supergroup is divided into four metasedimentary series from the oldest siliclastic and dolomitic Roan Group conglomerates sandstones and shales to Nguba Group of mostly carbonates and carbon rich shales to the youngest upper most Kundelungu Group including glacial metasediments and a cap carbonate 6 7 The Katanga Supergroup correlates with rocks of the Makuti Group in other parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo 8 Mines of the Katanga Supergroup editDemocratic Republic of Congo Dikulushi Mine Dikuluwe Mine Etoile Mine Frontier Mine Katanga Kalukundi Mine Kalumines Kambove mines Kamfundwa Mine Kamoto Mine Kananga Mine Kinsenda Mine Kinsevere Kipoi Mine Kipushi Mine Kolwezi Mine Lonshi Mine Luishia Mine Luiswishi Mine Luita Mashamba East Mukondo Mine Musonoi Mine Musoshi Mine Mutanda Mine Mutoshi Mine Ruashi Mine Sase prospect Shituru Tilwezembe Zambia Chambishi mine Lumwana mine Mufulira Mine Nkana Mine Konkola Copper Mines Kansanshi Mine Sentinel mine Lumwana mineSee also edit nbsp Democratic Republic of the Congo portal nbsp Zambia portalCopperbelt Province Anvil Mining Domeyko Fault Glencore Camrose Resources Limited Union Miniere du Haut Katanga UMHK Xstrata Sir Robert Williams 1st Baronet of ParkReferences edit Baxter T W E E Burke 1970 Guide to the Historical Manuscripts in the National Archives of Rhodesia p 67 Burnham Frederick Russell 1926 Scouting on Two Continents Doubleday Page amp company pp 2 Chapters 3 amp 4 OCLC 407686 Burnham Frederick Russell 1899 Northern Rhodesia In Wills Walter H ed Bulawayo Up to date Being a General Sketch of Rhodesia Simpkin Marshall Hamilton Kent amp Co pp 177 180 Juang Richard M 2008 Africa and the Americas culture politics and history a multidisciplinary encyclopedia Volume 2 Transatlantic relations series ABC CLIO p 1157 ISBN 1 85109 441 5 Heinrich E Wm 1958 Mineralogy and Geology of Radioactive Raw Materials New York McGraw Hill Book Company Inc p 298 a b c Master S C Rainaud R A Armstrong D Phillips L J Robb 2005 Provenance ages of the Neoproterozoic Katanga Supergroup Central African Copperbelt with implications for basin evolution Journal of African Earth Sciences 42 41 60 doi 10 1016 j jafrearsci 2005 08 005 Rainaud C S Master R A Armstrong L J Robb 2005 Geochronology and nature of the Palaeoproterozoic basement in the Central African Copperbelt Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo with regional implications Journal of African Earth Sciences 42 1 31 doi 10 1016 j jafrearsci 2005 08 006 Hunter D R ed 1981 Precambrian of the Southern hemisphere Amsterdam Elsevier Scientific ISBN 978 0 444 41862 3 page needed External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to wbr Mines in Zambia and wbr Mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Descriptive Models Grade Tonnage Relations and Databases for the Assessment of Sediment Hosted Copper Deposits with Emphasis on Deposits in the Central African Copperbelt Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia12 S 28 E 12 S 28 E 12 28 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Copperbelt amp oldid 1179150709, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
