Huge Mine territory par excellence with its green copper hills surrounding Fungurume, the largest mining and human concentration of the territory to date. LUBUDI, its main town, seems eccentric to its exuberance of mining, the lush agro-pastoral plains of BIANO and its enigmatic cultural center YEKE Bunkeya.
Mining company Tenke Fungurume Mining (TFM)
Mining company Tenke Fungurume Mining (TFM) announced, in a statement that it has produced more than 50,000 tonnes of copper cathodes and more than 4,000 tonnes of cobalt in the third quarter of 2018. Cobalt production is over 11,000 tonnes.
LUALABA INVESTMENT HOLDING (L.I.H Sarl) welcome investors willing to invest in this particular territory of LUBUDI. The largest mining in LUALABA province with very rich soil and huge potential in agriculture and livestock. We assist investors in land ownership, Business registration, assurance, evacuation of goods, security, access to the state institutions and accommodation.
Geographical data
It is the Lubudi River which gave its name to the territorial division of its basin and the chief town of this one. Before becoming a territory or zone, Lubudi was initially a detached post that had successively depended on Bukama, Kolwezi and Likasi.
It was only on 1 st July 1952 that was created on the territory of Lubudi capital was first inhabited by the colonial administration officers. Then came to settle in 1922, the cement plant of Katanga (CIMENKAT), the other layers of the population of the chief town came from the localities of other zones.
The territory of Lubudi is bounded on the north by the territories of Bukama and Kamina. Northeast by the territories of Kambove and Mutshatsha. In the North-West by the territory of Kamina, in the East by the territories of Kasenga and Mitwaba.
The city of Lubudi, capital of this territory is in the centre of a triangle whose summits are the cities of Likasi in the province of Upper Katanga, Kolwezi in Lualaba and Kamina in Upper Lomami. The road and the railway connect it to these three cities.
The relief of Lubudi is hilly. Outside the Biano plateau, the wooded savannah with gallery forests and steppes are also part of the relief of this area. There is also a mountain range in the region of Fungumme, Lubudi, Kansenia, Bunkeya, Mulumbu and Mazangule.
Hydrography
The Lubudi hydrological data is dominated by the Congo River, commonly referred to above as the Lualaba for the part that winds through the former Katanga. The Lualaba bathes the chiefdoms of Mazangule, Mwana – Mwadi and part of that of Bayeke. There is also lots of rivers from which we quote the following five: In the chiefdom, Mulumbu was the Lubudi River and the artificial lake of Dikuluwe, River Pande running through the territory of Kambove and Chiefdom Bayeke and throws himself into the Lufira at Mitwaba.
The Dikuluwe River that comes from Kilela Balanda (Kambove to Mitwaba) where it flows into the Lufira through the chiefdom of Bayeke.
The river Mulamba leaves the plateau of Kyankwali flows into the Pande with a fall to Kapiri in Mutobo group. The Dipeta River containing important falls bathes Tenke and Fungurume.
Seasons
The Lubudi territory belongs to the AWS climate type, according to the KÖPPEN criterion, it is a tropical rainy climate with a dry winter season that is characterized by annual rainfall ranging from 981.6 mm to 1808 mm Lubudi territory has a high rainfall average of between 1200 mm and 1400 mm. The climate of Lubudi is generally cold, very pronounced during the dry season and punctuated by sometimes violent winds in parts such as the Biano Plateau , with an average annual temperature of 21 ° C and is characterized by a period of drought which extends from mid – May to mid – September. The altitude is plus or minus 1,300 m and the temperature is 35 ° C during the rainy season and around 25 ° C during the dry season.
The dominant fact for agriculture is the presence of a drought of about 120 days. By the end of September, but more often during October, heavy rainfall following the month is spread over a large number of rainy days. This indicates that only one growing season is possible without water supply from September to April. The year is divided into two unequal seasons, however, a second cropping season with dry season irrigation from mid-May to early June until the end of August is possible thanks to the proximity of Dikolongo Lake and Kalule River in Kayo.
Soil types
Three categories of soil have been identified in the territory:
Soil humus , located particularly in the groupings Mukabe Kasari to Mbebe and Mwenda Mukose; the sandy-clay soil located particularly in the chiefdoms of Mazangule and Mwana Mwadi as well as in Fungurume, the soils are generally of schistos-gréseux type with the presence of carbonate rocks. In the uplands, the soils are not suitable for the mother crop, so it is almost confined to the valleys, some of which have sufficient areas of fertile land for intensive crop projects. These soils are alluvial and blackish to brownish in colour and generally have a good structure. The possibilities of cultivation, therefore, depend not only on the value of the soil but also on the climatic conditions. Dry season crops should only be considered in environments where irrigation is possible.
Particularities and riches of the territory
TENKE – FUNGURUME MINIG: mining company
BOSS MINING: mining company
CONGO COBALT CORPORATION: Mining Company
GRELKA: company operating in the breeding and sale of large cattle employing at least 100 people
MBEKO SHAMBA: operating in agriculture and selling agricultural products such as maize, beans, cassava, it has land of several hectares
CIMENKAT: The Katanga cement plant is a big company in this area. Unfortunately, she has been bankrupt for several years now.
1 Geostrategic position
The territory of Lubudi enjoys a favorable geographic location for exchanges with the cities of Likasi, Kolwezi and Kamina, the RN1 and RN39 junction and the railway is present there.
2 Agricultural potential
The territory of Lubudi has fertile soil for maize, cassava, peanuts, beans, rice and potatoes. This aspect can promote the development of agri-food and agropastoral industries that create employment, especially since Lubudi is crossed by the power lines of Inga, Nseke, and Nzilo.
3. Mining potential
The Lubudi soil contains copper (and its derivatives), cobalt and limestone for the manufacture of Cement (CIMENKAT), the main public industry present in the territory that was once the pride of the Congo and former Katanga.
Four large companies are located there and are operational: TFM, BOSS-MINING, CCC and the SNCC
4 Tourism potentials
The territory has historical sites (Tomb of M ‘ siri in Bunkeya, tomb of the assassin of M’ siri, General Botson, natural sites, Waterfalls, national park)
With landscapes and ecosystems that make its richness and interest: valleys, shrub savannah, grassy savannah plateau, high plateaus dotted with forest galleries and the great swampy valley of Kamalondo depression , where flows the Lualaba River, called to become the Congo River.
Upemba Park offers a great variety of biogeographic environments for a variety of wildlife. The zebra, the roan antelope, the elk of Cape, the hartebeest, the big kudu … are found in the sector of the highlands, while the savannahs still shelter one or the other herd of elephants, buffaloes and antelopes. In addition, the presence of this park is beneficial to the development of the hotel industry in the territory.
Tourism really holds the territory’s potential to become a high-rise in the province and across the country with some additional amenities.
Cultural data
There are several tribes in this territory; the biggest are:
1. the Bayeke,
2. the Basanga,
3. the Luba,
4. the Ndembo and
5. the Kaonde.
The Bayeke are the descendants of the chief of labor Mwenda M’siri, they are a minority and share the chiefdom of the same name with the Basanga, their main activity is agriculture.
The Basanga would have come from the north of the former province of Katanga well before the arrival of the Belgians and descended from the Baluba. They are the majority and occupy the Mulumbu chieftaincy and a large part of Bayeke’s chieftaincy. Their main activity is also agriculture. It is a people rooted in custom.
The Baluba are located in the chiefdoms of Mwana Mwadi and Mazangule. Those of Mwana Mwadi came from the Kasongo-Nyembo chiefdom in the territory of Kamina. They are in fact the descendants of the royal family of the Kasongo-Nyembo kingdom. On the other hand, those of the chieftaincy of Mazangule are noble families of the chiefdom of Kayumba, in the territory of Malemba-Nkulu. They are few in number and also take care of the work of the earth.
The Kandembo and the Kaonde are a minority and live in the chiefdom of Bayeke, mainly Kisamfu, Dikanda and Kakanda and in a part of the leadership of Mwana Mwadi to the limit with the town of Kolwezi.
Languages spoken in this territory
1. SWAHILI 90%
2. KISANGA 50%
3. KILUBA 43%
Swahili is the language spoken throughout the entire territory, while Sanga and Luba are more used languages in the chiefdoms where these people originate.
Main activities
1. Agriculture
2. Industrial and artisanal mining
3. Breeding
4. Small businesses
Agriculture (mostly subsistence) is the main activity in the territory, it occupies more than half of the population. The main agricultural products are maize, cassava and beans.
LUBUDI is a mining territory with as richness copper and its derivatives and cobalt mainly. Mining is, therefore, the second largest activity in the territory, by mining activity, it implies the artisanal which occupies a large number of young indigenous and those from all over the country, besides the artisanal, there is the industrial mining held by TFM, BOSS MINING and CCC.
The raising of sheep and chickens is also practised in households for the need of sale and self-consumption. The ranchers practice raising cattle for sale.
ACCESSIBILITY OF THE TERRITORY
Roads Yes
Airways Yes
Inland diversion Yes
Train Yes
RN 1 and RN 39 junction at Nguba village level, access to this territory is mainly by road
Lubudi airfield receives only small carriers, which land irregularly as the activities of CIMENKAT are stopped.
Air traffic is regular at FUNGURUME airport belonging to the TFM mining company.
Rail traffic is very common.
The transport of goods (mining products) is done by road by the big corporations in the transport sector and the agricultural products and manufactures their transports are made by road and by railway track.
COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
Africel Yes
Airtel Yes
Orange Yes
Vodacom Yes
The Vodacom and Airtel networks have a great coverage of the territory, the other networks are much more in the big centers, in the chieftaincies, it is noticed a great unavailability of the recharge cards and other related services.
Airtel money and Mpesa services are operational in Kakanda and Fungurume.