The Zambian government on Thursday received gold mining equipment funded by the European Union (EU) to improve gold mining.

The equipment, including four sluice boxes, four gold detectors, 12 panning dishes, two shaking tables to be used in gold mines in Vubwi and Lundazi districts in the southern part of the country, will be administered by the Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines Investment Holdings (ZCCM-IH), a government agency that holds shares in all mining firms on behalf of the government.

The equipment was purchased at a total cost of 70,000 Euros with support of the EU under the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Trade-Related Facility project aimed at the formalization of the gold mining sector.

Mushuma Mulenga, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry, said ZCCM-IH was chosen to administer the equipment in recognition of the effort the company was making in the gold mining sector and in view of the need to maintain and sustain the use of the equipment, according to a release.

Mabvuto Chipeta, Chief Executive Officer of ZCCM-IH, thanked the government for entrusting his firm with the responsibility of playing a key role in formalizing the artisanal gold mining sector in the country.

He said the formalization of Zambia’s artisanal and small scale gold sector was a significant, timely and pressing developmental opportunity that must now be realized. 

Source: https://newsghana.com.gh/eu-funds-zambia-to-boost-gold-mining/

ZCCM IH has announced that it will be working with registered gold mining cooperatives in Rufunsa, Vubwi, and Lundazi in gold recovery and exploration activities according to CEO Mabvuto Chipata.

ZCCM-IH has been mandated by the Government to drive the national gold agenda. The key to this mandate is to help formalize the activities of the artisanal gold miners doted in about 21 districts. This is why the Ministries of Mines and Minerals Development, and Commerce and Trade Industries handed over some gold equipment to ZCCM-IH for this purpose.

“We believe that formalizing Zambia’s artisanal and small-scale gold sector is a significant, timely, and pressing developmental opportunity that must now be realized”, said Mabvuto Chipata at the handover ceremony held in Lusaka on 7 May 2020 at Government Complex.

“This is aligned with the aspirations of the Seventh National Development Plan specifically regarding employment creation, revenue generation, supporting intra-sector diversification to other minerals such as gold and other precious minerals”.

The Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry secured the 140,000 euros from the SADC Trade Related Facility Project to procure the equipment that was handed over to the cooperatives. “I wish to inform you that our two Ministries, with the support from the European Union under the SADC Trade-related Facility (TRF) Project, purchased gold mining equipment to further support the formalization of the gold mining sector”, said Barneby Mulenga.

With the security of Gold mining a huge concern for Government, the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development, Barneby Mulenga gave some background to have Government, through a multi-stakeholder committee were able to carve out the guidelines for Gold mining that would enable the security of the products whilst preventing illicit trade. “It is gratifying to note that since the approval of recommendations of the inter-ministerial committee, the ministries of mines and minerals development and commerce, trade and industry have made strides in bringing into fruition, some of the recommendations that were made by the committee in an effort to formalize illegal gold mining and trading”, disclosed Barneby Mulenga.

The Ministry of Commerce who also collaborating in the formation of the 13 cooperatives, disclosed that they also provided skills development. “Ministries of Commerce, Trade and Industry and Mines and Minerals Development have collaborated in facilitating the formation of more than thirteen (13) gold mining cooperatives in Rufunsa and Petauke Districts and have trained them on both the production and business sides”.

With capacity building and equipment in place, all is for a new era of mining that begins with the grassroots. However, even the Government is aware that this journey must be steered by capable hands. “Recognizing similar efforts that the Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines – Investments Holdings (ZCCM – IH) is making in the gold mining sector and in view of the need for sustainability of the equipment that the Project purchased, the two Ministries have opted to assign ZCCM – IH to administer the equipment, on behalf of the cooperatives. In administering this equipment, ZCCM – IH is expected to collaborate with local authorities and the office of the District Commissioner in the respective Districts”.

Source: https://fizambia.com/?p=6802

According to a report published by the International Labor Office, “small-scale mining is expanding rapidly and often uncontrollably in many developing countries, employing large numbers of women and children in dangerous conditions and generating a workplace fatality rate up to 90 times higher than mines in industrialized countries”.

The report further states that “as much as 80 percent of small-scale mining falls outside any legal or regulatory framework”. This is why ZCCM IH’s Gold and Manganese ambitions need to be applauded as they are bringing structure to an industry in Zambia that has the potential to rewrite the mining history of a country.

Recently, “works at the manganese mine in Serenje have commenced following the end of the heavy rains that had hampered kick-starting operations, posing a challenge in accessing the mine site areas”. The works being undertaken are part of ZCCM-IH, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Kabundi Resources Limited (KRL), works that have started on Phase one of the project in the small-scale mining license, with an initial capital injection of K18.6 million. This comes a few days after they had announced an injection of approximately K45 million for the initial phase of the Kasenseli Gold Mine Project in Mwinilunga.

In both instances, ZCCM IH is craving out and executing their ambitions by the book as can be seen by their Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) which was approved by the Zambia Environmental Management Services (ZEMA) and involves the construction of an additional one-by-two classroom block, a health center, nine-by-three bedroomed houses for the relocation of the Project Affected Families, one house for a teacher, and another house for a medical staff.

Responsible project implementations are one of the hallmarks that financiers of various projects that have environmental impact often seek out when investment companies such as ZCCM IH seek out capital. This ensures that during the life of the project and hereafter, minimal litigation cases can be envisaged as due process has been followed.

This is also the reason why it is important to protect such assets as the mining sector is prone to illicit mining. Most recently ZCCM IH advertised a tender for security services to help address security concerns at its mining outfits that are in the development stage.

Source: https://fizambia.com/?p=6799