Chingola

Chingola is a city in Zambia's Copperbelt Province, the country's copper-mining region, with a population of 216,626 (2010 census). It is the home of Nchanga Copper Mine, a deep-shaft high-grade content copper mining operation, which subsequently (in the 1960s) led to the development of two open pit operations, Chingola Open Pit and then Nchanga Open Pit (the latter being the second largest open cast mine in the world). Chingola was founded in 1943, somewhat later than most other Copperbelt towns. Chingola was built to service the newly opened Nchanga copper mine. Alongside Luanshya (the "Garden Town of the Copperbelt"), Chingola is perhaps one of the best laid-out and most picturesque towns in Zambia. Situated at the north-west end of the Copperbelt Province, the Nchanga Mines Open Pit workings lie in an arc 11 km long around the west and north of the town, covering nearly 30 km2. The deepest part of the pit is 400 m lower than the surrounding plateau.