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.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEThe Minerals Regulation Commission (MRC) constitutes the Licensing committee to enhance transparenc...
03/06/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Minerals Regulation Commission (MRC) constitutes the Licensing committee to enhance transparency, efficiency and investment in the mining sector.

Lusaka, June 3, 2026 – The Minerals Regulation Commission (MRC) has officially constituted the Licensing Committee (LC) following the induction of the MRC Board of Commissioners, marking a significant step towards strengthening the administration, regulation and oversight of mining and non-mining rights in Zambia.

The Minerals Regulation Commission was established by an Act of Parliament, specifically the Minerals Regulation Commission Act No. 14 of 2024, to regulate and monitor the development and management of minerals resource in the Zambia.

The Minerals Regulation Commission (MRC) is Zambia’s independent statutory body established to regulate, monitor, and oversee the development and management of mineral resources under the Minerals Regulation Commission Act, 2024.

Established under the Minerals Regulation Commission Act, No. 14 of 2024, the Licensing Committee has a mandate to support the Commission in ensuring transparent, efficient and accountable management of the country's mineral resources.

The formation of the Committee represents a major milestone in the Commission's efforts to streamline licensing processes, enhance regulatory compliance and strengthen governance within the mining sector.

The Committee will play a central role in the evaluation and administration of applications for mining and non-mining rights. It will also support the Commission's commitment to promoting fairness, consistency and adherence to the law in the regulation of mining activities across the country.

In addition, the Committee will provide technical, administrative and professional recommendations to the Board of Commissioners on matters relating to the granting, renewal, suspension, amendment and cancellation of mineral rights.

The Licensing Committee comprises members drawn from key stakeholders, including Government institutions, industry representatives and community interests. Collectively, the members bring various expertise, ensuring balanced, informed and evidence-based decision-making.

Among its key functions, the Committee will:
• Review and evaluate applications for mining and non-mining rights;
• Determine whether to grant, renew or reject applications in accordance with applicable laws and regulatory standards;
• Monitor compliance by rights holders with statutory and license obligations;
• Recommend the suspension, termination or cancellation of rights where breaches of legal or regulatory requirements occur;
• Assess applications for amendments to the terms and conditions of existing rights; and
• Provide expert technical and administrative advice to the Board on matters falling within its mandate under the MRC Act.

The formation of the Licencing Committee is expected to improve investor confidence, enhance efficiencies in procedures and processes and increase local and foreign investment in Zambia's mining sector. An efficient, predictable and transparent licensing regime is a key factor in attracting responsible investment and supporting the growth of the mining industry.

The constitution of the Licencing Committee underscores the Government's commitment to responsible mineral resource governance and reflects Zambia's determination to balance economic growth with environmental sustainability and social development.

As Zambia pursues its ambitious target of increasing copper production to three million metric tonnes by 2031, the Commission remains committed to creating an efficient and credible regulatory framework that supports investment, promotes compliance and maximises the benefits of the country's mineral wealth for present and future generations.

Issued by:

Mr. Matongo Matamwandi
Board Chairperson
Minerals Regulation Commission






31/05/2026

EMOTIONAL DESPERATION BY THE TRAPPED ARTISANAL MINERS AND THE PRAYER.

After exhausting every effort to create an escape route but without success, the trapped miners became physically drained and emotionally overwhelmed. Having lost hope and uncertain about what lay ahead, one of the miners gathered his colleagues and offered a short prayer to God, the giver of life.

The prayer was offered in Tonga:

"Lord, forgive us for our sins. Do not let us die like this without saying goodbye to our families. Some of us, despite being young, are the breadwinners of our families."

After the prayer, silence filled the underground shaft. With no strength left and believing their fate was beyond their control, the miners lay down to rest.

Unknown to them, rescue teams on the surface were working tirelessly against time to reach them. As the miners drifted into a brief sleep underground, a determined rescue operation was unfolding above, bringing them closer to a second chance at life.

The miners were trapped on the 3rd of May and only got rescued on the 20th of May 2026 meaning they were trapped for 17 days.







14/05/2026

Gold reserves now standing at half a billion dollars

Artisanal Small Scale Miners Sell Gold Worth K8.5 MillionBy Doreen Chembe Artisanal and small-scale miners in Mumbwa, Ru...
13/05/2026

Artisanal Small Scale Miners Sell Gold Worth K8.5 Million

By Doreen Chembe

Artisanal and small-scale miners in Mumbwa, Rufunsa and Lusangazi have sold gold worth 8.5 Million Kwacha to the Zambia Gold Company Limited.

The Zambia Gold Company Limited, the official aggregator, bought Gold weighing 3.6 Kilograms in the first Quarter of 2026 .

Mines and Minerals Development Minister Paul Kabuswe says this is compared to 1.9 Kilograms bought in 2025 the same period.

Mr Kabuswe says the artisanal and small-scale miners deserve true value for their responsibly mined Gold.

Speaking during a press briefing in Lusaka today, Mr Kabuswe said Zambia's mining sector has recorded positive growth, with overall copper production reaching 891,000 metric tonnes.

The Minister expressed optimism that the country could attain one million metric tonnes of copper production by the end of 2026.

He further revealed that the Countrywide High-Resolution Aerial Geophysical Survey had by May 11, 2026, reached 73 percent, reflecting steady progress in the implementation of the survey across the country.

He further announced that none of the miners trapped at Matala Gold Mine in Mumbwa have been retrieved.

He said the Government is doing everything possible to ensure the trapped miners are removed.

12/05/2026

This was in Mboloma, Luano Valley.




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. .!

Address

4126 Mulilakwenda Road, Heavy Industrial Area, Copperbelt
Kitwe
10101

Opening Hours

Monday 08:00 - 17:00
Tuesday 08:00 - 17:00
Wednesday 08:00 - 17:00
Thursday 08:00 - 17:00
Friday 08:00 - 02:30
Saturday 09:00 - 12:00
Sunday 09:00 - 12:00

Telephone

+260966002738

Website

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