Artisanal gold mining cooperatives in Lumezi receive a boost in gold exploration and processing equipment.
The equipment handed over to Lumezi based gold mining cooperatives held at Lumezi boarding secondary school on Tuesday, 11 June 2020 is part of the consignment bought under the SADC Trade Related Facility by the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry.
In line with the mandate to manage the activities and programs of the gold sector in Zambia, ZCCM-IH was appointed as administrators of the equipment that include a full set of a shaking table, sluice boxes, panning dishes and gold detectors given to the cooperatives.
Last week, President Edgar Lungu was in Rufunsa to witness a demonstration of the functions of similar equipment by the cooperatives, a gesture that smbolized the importance Government has attached to formalising and ensuring development of the gold sector in Zambia.
The equipment handover which is a collaborative effort of the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development is aimed at ensuring improved production and empowerment of local artisanal miners who are already participating in the gold sector.
The move is also aimed at formalizing smallscale and artisanal gold mining, processing and trading activities in Zambia.