ZCCM-IH through its subsidiary ZCCM Gold Company has started the handover of gold exploration and processing equipment to Cooperatives in Eastern Province, starting with Rufunsa.
The equipment purchased by the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry under the SADC Trade Related Facility Project includes gold detectors, sluice boxes, panning dishes and shaking tables.
The equipment is a response to the challenges faced by artisanal gold miners such as the lack of such equipment, a situation which inhibits their productivity.
Apart from this, ZCCM-IH will undertake the following:
1. Provide mining and processing technical support to these gold mining cooperatives to enable artisanal miners improve their production in an environmentally sound manner.
2. Sink water boreholes in areas where streams dry-up after the rain season to provide consistent water supply for processing purposes; and,
3. ZCCM-IH will buy all the gold the cooperatives will produce at a competitive market price.
These measures are aimed at driving growth and increase the productivity of Zambian artisanal miners, and further contribute to the formalization of their activities.
In keeping with the mandate of managing programmes and activities in the gold sector, ZCCM-IH will ensure local participation of artisanal miners through such empowerment initiatives that will be rolled out to Lundazi and Vubwi.
