Zambia is ranked as a major producer of copper and second highest world of cobalt.
Internationally the country also produces precious metals (gold, silver), fine gemstones (amethyst, aquamarine, emerald and tourmaline), coal and industrial minerals.
Over the years, Zambia remains one cardinal source of minerals to the world’s jewellery market.
The country is also best known for exporting minerals in mostly their rough form because of few cutting, lapidary operations. It is worth noting that more should be done than facilitating easy access by foreign buyers to the market.
To change this status quo, Government is implementing measures tailored to encourage value addition in the mining sector and also offer opportunity to investors willing to invest in the mines to invest not only in existing mines but open up new ones.
Government through the line ministry is much aware of regions in the country where mineral deposits have been discovered.
The president of Zambia His Excellency Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu insists that it is paramount that the country matures from exporting raw natural resources to processing them and adding value to them.
The country stands to gain from mining, as we shift away from solely depending on copper.
By Andrew Kalima, Times of Zambia, Monday, September 10,2018.
