Government has announced that it is in the process of establishing an exploration fund to help in enhancing the growth of the exploration industry in the country.

Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development, Permanent Secretary, Hapenga Kabeta explains that this is in an effort to ensure that the small-scale miners and other junior miners are given support to participate in the sector.

ZANIS reports that Dr Kabeta was speaking during a business engagement with the Association of Zambia Mineral Exploration Companies (AZMEC) on the sidelines of the ongoing Mining in African Mining Indaba in Cape town South Africa.

He noted that the country’s mining sector is currently experiencing a dynamic transformation, fuelled by a series of policy reforms, strategic investments, and intensified exploration activities. 

Dr Kabeta added that accelerated geological mapping and mineral resource exploration will ensure that there is development and growth of artisanal and small-scale mining activities for the benefit of the community. 

He said the initiatives are aimed at unlocking and fully capitalising the country’s abundant mineral resources. 

“A significant aspect of this transformation is the introduction of new policies designed to stimulate the opening of new mines and boost production levels at existing operations. Some of the Policy, Legislative and Institutional such as the Minerals Regulation Commission Act, Geological and Minerals Development Bill among others, ” he said. 

And Xcalibur Vice President of Technology, Teo Hage, a company that has been engaged to carry out a geological mapping survey said Zambia has immense potential of critical minerals that need to be accounted for.

Mr Hage noted that the exploration will be of high quality as the company is using advanced technology to carry out the survey.