ZAMBIA HAS MANY OTHER MINERALS OTHER THAN COPPER – SIMUKONDA

By Arnel Chitundu

THERE is need for the Government to diversify from copper mining and consider other minerals, as Zambia is rich with high value minerals, a Mining Expert has said.

Speaking to the Scoop, Edward Simukonda said, the government disclosing increasing copper production to 3 million metric tonnes by 2031 was practically impossible.

Mr. Simukonda said increasing copper production had been an outstanding issue, and as far as mining operations were concerned, the figure was impossible to attain.

 He said instead, the government should not just concentrate on copper alone because the country had many other high value minerals, which could generate more money than copper.

He added that the government should be practical in ways of improving the mining sector, stating that there were means of producing such large quantities of copper.

“Am not saying they will stop mining copper but that they should look at other high value minerals the country has,” he reiterated.

Meanwhile, the Government is expected to launch a strategy designed to increase Copper Production to 3 million metric tonnes by the year 2031.

Mines and Minerals Development Director Planning and Information Tobias Musonda said the formulation of the strategy was nearing completion, as the strategy would be implemented through existing companies and artisanal small scale miners among others.

Zambia’s annual Copper production has dropped by five percent to about 760, 000 metric tonnes, this trend went against the new dawn administration target to rump up Copper production to over 3 million tonnes in 10 years.

According to consolidated copper production reports, verified by the Chamber of mines, in 2022 copper production had decreased by 37, 409 tonnes.