Government to build new gold trading centres in bid to tackle illegal mining

The government has announced plans to construct a series of new gold marketing centres across Zambia before the end of the year, in a move aimed at bringing the artisanal and small-scale mining sector under formal regulation.

Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development Permanent Secretary Hapenga Kabeta said the centres were intended to provide structured, regulated markets where small-scale miners could sell gold through official channels rather than through unregulated buyers.

Speaking in Lusaka on Wednesday, Kabeta said districts earmarked for the new facilities include Lusangazi, Chisamba, Mpika, and a second centre in Mumbwa, which already has one facility nearing completion.

The Mumbwa Gold Marketing Centre is currently reported to be between 98 and 99 per cent complete. Once open, it is expected to bring together regulatory bodies including the Zambia Revenue Authority, the Zambia Gold Company and the Bank of Zambia, alongside licensed aggregators, to oversee gold trading.

Kabeta said the selected locations were chosen on the basis of high levels of gold mining activity, particularly in areas where illegal mining and informal trading have been prevalent.

"The new marketing centres will enable miners to access fair and competitive prices, while allowing government to track production and collect appropriate taxes," he said.

The Permanent Secretary described the programme as part of a longer-term strategy to formalise the mining value chain, rather than a standalone intervention. He said it would also include training for artisanal and small-scale miners in safe, legal and efficient mining practices.