Small Scale Miners Association of Zambia

Small Scale Miners Association of Zambia Small Scale Miners Association was registered in 2009. We are dealing in copper, cobalt, gold and gemstone within Zambia and Southern Africa.

Our mission is to support small scale mining and development within Africa and other countries abroad.

07/05/2026

GOVERNMENT SET TO BEGIN KIKONGE GOLD TENEMENT ALLOCATION PROCESS.

By Favourite K. Chisi

Government has disclosed that it will soon begin communicating with cooperatives that were issued licenses last year on the timetable for visiting and identifying their respective tenements in the Kikonge gold mining area in North-Western Province.

North-Western Province Deputy Permanent Secretary Luckson Mulumbi says access to the area had been affected by heavy rains and flooding on the Musoneji River, making mobility difficult.

Mr. Mulumbi says the scale of the exercise, involving 512 licenses covering more than 6,680 hectares, also made it difficult to use helicopters to access the area.

Speaking to journalists in Solwezi, Mr. Mulumbi says conditions have now improved following the end of the rainy season, allowing authorities to move forward with the allocation process.

He says other stakeholders, including MMR, are also undertaking works to prepare the area for mining activities.

Mr. Mulumbi says the initiative forms part of the government's broader agenda under President Hakainde Hichilema to promote small-scale and artisanal mining and enable more Zambians to benefit from the country’s natural resources.

He has however warned against illegal mining activities, saying authorities are determined to maintain order and ensure mining operations are conducted within the law.

Mr. Mulumbi says the government will not tolerate illegality, impunity or lawlessness in the province.

He says an update on when companies and cooperatives can access the tenements will be communicated soon.







07/05/2026

MATALA GOLD MINE ACCIDENT

Fellow citizens,

We are currently at Matala Gold Mine where five miners are believed to be trapped following a collapse. We are doing everything possible to ensure that our people are retrieved alive.

As directed by His Excellency President Hakainde Hichilema, all government units are on site. Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit, the Mine Rescue Team, Zambia Police, Ministry of Health, and other emergency services are working around the clock.

The life of every person matters. It does not matter whether one was an illegal miner or not. President Hakainde Hichilema has instructed that we direct all our efforts to retrieve our people alive. Other issues will be addressed afterwards.

To the families of those trapped: We stand with you. We urge you to remain prayerful and patient during this trying moment. We will keep you updated with verified information as the rescue progresses.

I appeal to the public and the media to avoid speculation. Let us give the rescue team's space to work. Spreading unverified reports causes more pain to the families.

This Government values every life. We will not rest until we bring our people home.

May God protect our people and give strength to the rescue teams.

I thank you.

Hon. Eng. Collins Nzovu
Nangoma Constituency MP




R.I.P Abana Gold Mufumbwe:The night we found him, his mouth was full of soil, like the ground was trying to silence him....
12/04/2026

R.I.P Abana Gold Mufumbwe:

The night we found him, his mouth was full of soil, like the ground was trying to silence him.
I was there when Abana Gold died.

That was not his real name. We called him that because he said he would be rich from gold. He liked the name. He said people must fear it one day.

We went to Mufumbwe to look for gold. Real people do this every day. No magic. No big machines. Just hoes, shovels, and hope. We slept in plastic tents near the bush. At night, it was very quiet. Too quiet.

You could hear your own breathing.
Abana Gold believed the land had more gold deeper inside. Elders warned him not to dig too deep without support. He laughed. He said, "Gold does not wait for cowards."

That day, the soil felt strange. Heavy. Wet. Like it was alive. I told him we should stop and come back the next day. He shouted at me. He said if I was scared, I should leave.

I left him digging.

Not long after, we heard a sound. It was not a scream.
It was like air being crushed. Then silence.

We ran to the pit.

The hole had collapsed.

We dug with our hands. We dug until our fingers bled.

When we finally reached him, his body was twisted.

His eyes were open. His mouth was full of soil. Like he tried to breathe the earth.
He was still warm.

That is the part that follows me.
The police came later. They wrote it as an accident.

They said illegal mining is dangerous. They were right. But they did not hear what I heard.
That night, as we packed to leave, I heard digging sounds. Slow. Careful. Coming from the pit we filled.

I stood still. My torch was off. The sound stopped when I breathed.
I swear heard a voice. Very low. Calling his name.

"Abana... Gold.."

We left before sunrise. I never went back.
People still mine in Mufumbwe. They still talk about gold. But no one uses that pit. The ground there sinks a little every year, like something underneath is still moving.
Sometimes I dream of soil filling my mouth.






08/04/2026

Artisanal small scale mining in Muchinga Province of Zambia.







28/03/2026

Artisanal Small Scale Miners in Chingola. .!

Artisanal Miners to Receive Kikonge Tenements By Lupindula MwewaAbout 8,000 hectares of land is expected to be allocated...
16/03/2026

Artisanal Miners to Receive Kikonge Tenements

By Lupindula Mwewa

About 8,000 hectares of land is expected to be allocated as mining tenements at the Kikonge Gold site to more than 500 artisanal miners in Mufumbwe District of North-Western Province.

Director of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining at the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development BILLY CHEWE says each mining cooperative will receive about six hectares of land to carry out mining activities.

Mr. CHEWE says officers from the Ministry will begin allocating the mining tenements at the Kikonge Gold site to cooperatives that have already undergone training and are ready to begin formal mining operations.

Speaking when he paid a courtesy call on North-Western Province Permanent Secretary GRANDSON KATAMBI, Mr. CHEWE said Government is working to ensure safe mining in the area.

Meanwhile, Mr. KATAMBI has called for transparency and fairness in the allocation of mining tenements at the Kikonge site.

He said the process must be conducted in a clear and accountable manner so that genuine local cooperatives benefit from the mining opportunities.

Earlier this year, Government deployed military personnel to the Kikonge Gold site to stop illegal mining activities and restore order as part of efforts to pave the way for regulated mining operations.

At recent Investing in African Mining Indaba conferences, particularly in 2025 and looking toward 2026, the expectations...
08/02/2026

At recent Investing in African Mining Indaba conferences, particularly in 2025 and looking toward 2026, the expectations for artisanal and small-scale miners (ASM) have shifted from marginalization to integrating them as key stakeholders in the "formal" mining sector.

The core focus is on transforming ASM from an informal, often illicit activity into a structured, safe, and productive business that contributes to local economies.

Key expectations and discussions for artisanal miners at the Indaba include:

Formalization and Legalization:

A major focus is on bridging the gap between informal and formal sectors by encouraging governments to streamline licensing processes to make them accessible and affordable.

Safety and Environmental Responsibility:

There is a strong push to move away from rudimentary, dangerous methods towards safer, more sustainable practices to mitigate environmental damage and reduce occupational hazards.

Recognition as a Business Sector:

Artisanal miners are expected to operate like small businesses, using training and proper equipment to boost productivity and attract investment.

Integration with Large-Scale Mining (LSM):

Discussions focus on creating co-existence between LSM and ASM, encouraging partnerships where larger firms support smaller, local miners.

Inclusion in Value Chains:

There is a demand for ASM to be included in the supply chains for critical minerals (like cobalt, copper, and gold), rather than being sidelined.







07/02/2026

Government Cancels 3,000 Mining Licences

By Cindy Mulomba

Government has cancelled around 3,000 mining licences for failure to meet statutory obligations since 2024.

The affected licence holders reportedly did not comply with conditions set out under the Mines and Minerals Development Act.

Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development Permanent Secretary HAPENGA KABETA says of the cancelled licences, 1,200 holders have lodged appeals against the decision.

Dr. KABETA says the cancellations are part of a broader reform programme aimed at improving governance, accountability and transparency in the mining sector.

He said this when receiving a delegation from the United States Department of State’s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, led by Programme Manager EVAN McGLAUGHLIN.

Mr. McGLAUGHLIN encouraged Zambia to invest further in modern mining technologies to maximise its mineral potential and attract greater investment.






24/01/2026

Formalize small-scale mining by creating legal channels for local and artisanal miners to register, form cooperatives, and acquire licenses.

This brings operations into a transparent framework, allowing for regulation, safety standards, and tax collection.

Address root causes:

Acknowledge that socio-economic problems, such as unemployment, drive illegal mining. Provide alternative economic opportunities in non-mining sectors like agriculture, renewable energy, and entrepreneurship in affected communities, especially in the North Western, Northern, and Southern Provinces.

Abana Gold in Kikonge have started packing their bags after sensing danger. More details to follow..!
23/01/2026

Abana Gold in Kikonge have started packing their bags after sensing danger. More details to follow..!

RESIDENTS and licensed artisanal miners in Mufumbwe District have welcomed an order by the Zambia Army for illegal miner...
21/01/2026

RESIDENTS and licensed artisanal miners in Mufumbwe District have welcomed an order by the Zambia Army for illegal miners to vacate mining areas by next week, saying the move will restore order and promote orderly economic benefits in the sector.

Members of cooperatives that were trained and issued with artisanal mining licences to operate at Kikonge and Dengwe said the intervention will bring sanity to the mining areas and curb illicit activities that have disrupted legal operations.

Zambia Army has warned that failure by illegal miners to comply with the order will result in a forcible eviction, as part of efforts to curb lawlessness and insecurity linked to illegal mining activities.

Speaking in an interview, Caleb Likomeno, of Chiliko Cooperative, said the Army’s move was long overdue and that it will allow licensed cooperatives to operate in a conducive environment.

Mr Likomeno said the situation at Kikonge mining area had become untenable, with illegal miners occupying most of the land meant for licensed cooperatives.

“The coming in of the Zambia Army is most welcome and long overdue. We welcome the pronouncement to remove illegal miners by force because cooperatives have not been allocated land due to the presence of illegal miners,” he said.

He warned that if left unchecked, illegal miners’ behaviour has the potential to breed serious conflict and insecurity in the district.

Mr Likomeno said residents have been living in fear due to the conduct and attitude of illegal miners, adding that their removal will help restore peace and order.

Another miner, Gospel Mbumba, said licensed cooperatives had been waiting to be allocated land and that the removal of illegal miners will enable them to benefit from their licences.

She said illegal miners had previously been encouraged to form cooperatives in order to legalise their operations but most of them had failed to comply with government directives.

Zambia Daiky Mail






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4126 Mulilakwenda Road, Heavy Industrial Area, Copperbelt
Kitwe
10101

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