14 Oct 2013 07:00
BERKELEY MINERAL RESOURCES PLC
("BMR" or "the Company")
Kabwe Update - Corporate Responsibility Programme
Berkeley Mineral Resources,(AIM:BMR), the AIM listed resource company engaged in the processing of tailings dumps in Zambia, has donated two British ambulances to the Kabwe General Hospital in Zambia. The ambulances were officially presented to the hospital by BMR's 100%-owned Zambian subsidiary Enviro Processing Ltd (EPL) at a handover ceremony at Kabwe on Monday, 7th October 2013.
Mr. Masoud Alikhani, Chairman of Berkeley Mineral Resources, has personally witnessed the after-effects of one serious accident on local roads. BMR is fully aware that Zambia has been experiencing an increasing number of road and other accidents resulting in many injuries and sometimes deaths in the Kabwe region and the donated ambulances are in response to the dire need for appropriate and reliable referral transport at Kabwe General Hospital to provide medical care and save lives.
In receiving the donation, the Guest of Honour at the handover ceremony, Zambian Central Province Permanent Secretary, Edwidge Mutale said:
"This is indeed a day of celebration. Not only are we receiving these two ambulances but we are also forming a new alliance with Enviro Processing Limited.
"From the onset, the re-opening of the Kabwe mine and processing of tailings promises to be of great benefit to Kabwe and the surrounding districts as can be noted from the donation we are receiving today. Apart from such community support programmes, EPL's activities will lead to the creation of employment and the cleaning up of the environment."
BMR has been acquiring the surface rights and licences over the Kabwe Mine site since 2008. From 2011, these assets have been vested in EPL. EPL should shortly start processing the dump material, removing the contained metals in an environmentally sustainable manner and remediating the land. This will result in the elimination of a major environmental and health hazard.
BMR Chairman Masoud Alikhani, in a speech read on his behalf by BMR General Manager for Africa, Mr. Dennis Human, assured the Permanent Secretary that Enviro Processing Limited will always do its best to help and assist the people of Kabwe in its various programmes of social responsibility. The Company has already donated a periphery security wall and computers to local educational institutions in Kabwe."We very much enjoy working in Zambia and look forward to doing so for many more years to come", he said.
Kabwe Central Member of Parliament, the Hon Kapyanga, expressed gratitude in his vote of thanks to Mr. Alikhani at the ceremony to mark the donation of the ambulances.
Hon Kapyanga said: "During my tour of the hospital, it came to light that most of the activities were hampered due to lack of transport. In view of that, my office has been trying to find help to complement the Government's efforts. Hence coming across EPL, which has proved to be an investment company with a difference".
He said that the donation has come at a time when Kabwe General Hospital has been at the core of handling most of the fatal road accidents that have been taking place between Kapiri Mposhi and Lusaka.
Masoud Alikhani, Chairman added:
"We take our responsibility to the local community very seriously and we intend to continue helping and supporting the community in general, not just by paying taxes and providing employment."
14th October 2013
For further information please contact:
Berkeley Mineral Resources Plc
Masoud Alikhani, Chairman
020 7408 1181
Cantor Fitzgerald Europe
Stewart Dickson / Julian Erleigh (Corporate Finance)
Jeremy Stephenson (Corporate Broking)
Tel: 020 7894 7000
Lothbury Financial Services
Michael Padley /Gary Middleton
020 3440 7620