A history of mining in Broken Hill (Kabwe): 1902-1929

[摘要] English: This study has attempted to write a history of the Broken Hill mine in the period from 1902 to1929. Despite the mine being the first large enterprise to be opened in Zambia, its history islargely unknown. Much of the information on which this dissertation is based was derivedfrom archival research, primarily in the National Archives of Zambia in Lusaka; the ZambiaConsolidated Copper Mines Archive in Ndola; and the Livingstone Museum in Livingstone.Chapter one introduces the study. Chapter two examines the origin and development of theBroken Hill mine from 1902 to 1913. During this period, the productiveness and profitabilityof the Broken Hill mine was hampered by the problems of treatment of complex ores,expensive railway freights and the irregular supply of labour. In 1914 the First World Warstarted and Chapter three traces the impact of the war on Broken Hill mine. The war waslargely responsible for delays in the delivery of materials for the construction of a newtreatment plant and furnaces. Because of the influenza epidemic, the mine closed towards theend of the year.However, the war also provided opportunities for the mine to increase its production, salesand profits. In particular, the war led to a high demand for lead and zinc; an increase in theprice of base metals; further reduction on railway rates by the Rhodesia Railways Companyand the good prices of lead and zinc in London. This was a boost to increase the supply of themetals. Yet, the Rhodesia Broken Hill mine failed to make the most of such opportunitieslargely because of the recurring problem of treating complex ores. During the war,considerable effort was devoted to lead-zinc experiments, as the mine searched for bettermethods of treating the ores. In fact the mine was only once able to supply lead to Britain'sMinistry of Munitions. Chapter four covers the position of the Broken Hill mine between1919 and 1929. The period after the end of the war witnessed a tremendous increase inproduction, sales and profit margins. There was also greater infrastructure development atBroken Hill than ever before. Although between 1902 and 1929 production in terms ofquantity and quality, sales and profits never reached hoped-for figures, they did roughly tripleafter the end of the war. This was made possible by the fact that Broken Hill mine wasincreasingly able to utilise cheap black labour, as well as cheap hydro-electric power. At thesame time, the ores became richer even as the price of spelter increased. In the 1920s, BrokenHill mine benefited from a low cost of production per ton of lead and zinc and a selling price per ton that was nearly double the cost of production. Indeed, Rhodesia Broken Hill mineenjoyed lower production costs than most of mines in the world.

[发布机构] University of the Free State