Africa-Press – Zambia. Emerald Production Watch of Zambia President Musa Kafimbwa has urged government through the Ministry of Mines to repossess mining licences owned by several dormant emerald mining firms in Lufwanyama District on the Copperbelt.
Lack of capital has prevented several emerald and semi-precious mining firms in Lufwanyama from utilizing their mining licences. Most of these dormant firms are owned by Zambians.
Commenting on the dormancy of several mining firms, Mr. Kafimbwa said repossession of all dormant licences will unlock the emerald and semi-precious mining sector.
He said there is need to consider new new mining licences applicants. Mr. Kafimbwa observed that at the moment only Grizzly Mining Limited and Kagem Mining Limited were active in this sector. He said many people in Lufwanyama District especially youths need jobs.
“Government to repossess all dormant licence’s to unlock mining areas to new applicants.The burden of job creation to skilled and non skilled youths in Zambia is very high.We have thousands of our people hunting for jobs in the mines and for Lufwanyama District it’s only Grizzly and Kagem out of hundreds of dormant licence’s issued to various firms,” Mr. Kafimbwa said.
“The only way to go is to unlock the sector by repossession of such dormant mining licences.Our youths are on the dumpsite dependence because this mines are closed for years now.Zambia is number one on the planet as a great emerald exporter and producer.Producing the best rough emeralds with high crearity and value.Though the COVID hit Gemfields has struggled to raise the Zambian map from 2008 when Gemfields planted his routes and promised to be the best in the history of Zambian emerald business,” he said.
Mr. Kafimbwa said practical steps are needed to revive the emerald and semi-precious mining sector in Zambia. “This has been proved by its works this year in April’sGemfields injected in a cheque of 1.5 million dollars through IDC (Zambia Industrial Development Cooperation). This proves that Zambian hope for Emerald tradeship is great when most dormant licences are repossessed.
We need works than talks, our people need food need to survive from the Godly given resources.Kindly kindly re-posses the dormant mining lincenses,” Mr. Kafimbwa said.
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