Nkana
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nkana was a small settlement in Zambia (then Northern Rhodesia) that started off in the early part of the 20th century as a railway station in Copperbelt Province to support the gowing complex of copper mining operations. It was named after Chief Nkana, the local trical leader. The copper mines of Nkana (South Ore Body, Nkana Mine and Mindola Shaft) were originally owned by the Anglo-American Corporation of South Africa. A large smelter was built at the site of the Nkana Mine. The mines in Nkana were among the largest copper mines in the world employing in excess of 20,000 people. In the late 1960's they were nationalized by the then socialistic and dictatorial president of the independent Zambia, Kenneth Kaunda. The non-mining section of town, Kitwe, grew as a service town for the mining industry. Nkana was soon swallowed up by the growing township of Kitwe in the 1970's, and Nkana became synonymous with the town of Kitwe.
