By Cecilia Chiluba 
Minister of Mines and Minerals Development says Government is working on a national programme to deploy Defense and Security personnel to curb illegal gold mining activities other mineral commodities across the various parts of the country.
The areas include Mufumbwe, Rufunsa, Kasempa, Mpika, Mumbwa, Lusangazi, Chisamba, Chibombo, Luano, Lumezi, Chadiza and Vubwi.
Mufumbwe district, North-Western province, especially areas such as Kikonge and Kikawa, has in the recent past witnessed an upsurge in illegal mining activities primarily in search of gold.
Reports suggest that between eight and 15 illegal miners were buried alive on 17th June 2025, after a tunnel collapsed on them in the Kikawa Gold Rush mining area, and Police manage to retrieve eight bodies while the search and rescue operations are still ongoing for the remaining suspected missing persons.
Delivering a ministerial statement in Parliament on illegal mining activities in Mufumbwe district and various parts of the country, Paul Kabuswe said his Ministry is working with other line Ministries which include Home Affairs and Internal Security and Defence to to avert the current and future illegal mining activities and safeguard lives.
Mr. Kabuswe stated that Government has also heightened the formalization of artisanal and small-scale miners including issuance of mining licenses to local communities through formation of mining cooperatives in a bid to increase the participation of Zambians in the mineral value chain.
He reiterated that to support the formalization of artisanal and small-scale miners, Government is constructing two Gold Marketing Centres in Mumbwa district Central Province and Rufunsa in Lusaka Province, due to the significant gold deposits in the two areas.
“The centres are meant to provide a readily available market for mineral commodities produced by ASM at a competitive price thus, protect miners from being exploited by unscrupulous buyers. This initiative will also be rolled out to other parts of the country where other mineral commodities other than gold are being exploited,” Mr. Kabuswe added.
Mr. Kabuswe noted that most of the illegal miners are foreign nationals, hence, Government through the Ministry of Home Affairs has constituted a team comprising of Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), Anti-Terrorism, Immigration to flush out foreigners involved in the illegal activities.
“The Ministry is implementing a multisectoral approach in enforcing the various measures aimed at curbing illegal mining with institutions such as Zambia Police, Immigration Department as well as investigative wings such as the Office of the President at national and sub national level in various parts of the country where illegal mining and trading activities are taking place,” Mr. Kabuswe said.
He further said the Minerals Regulation Commission Act No.14 of 2024 which will usher in the Minerals Regulation Commission will play a key role in enhancing the fight against illegal mining and trading activities.
“Further, the Geological and Minerals Development Act N0. 2 of 2025 will establish the Directorate of Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners which is expected to be devoted to addressing ASM issues including curbing illegal mining activities,” Mr. Kabuswe noted.
Joseph Tembo 
News Desk