Explore for oil, gas, private sector urged

By NAMBELA MWANDIA PRIVATE exploration companies have been urged to survey oil and gas samples in Northern and Luapula provinces.

Speaking to the Daily Nation, Director of Geological Survey, Chipilauka Mokufu, says oil and gas exploration in Northern and Luapula province is an on-going process that needs support from the private sector to progress.

Mr Mokufu said currentl,y there is a geological survey that covers about 80,000 square kilometres of land surface for Northern and Luapula provinces.

“We are just receiving geophysical data which exploration companies in those areas are still interpreting,” he said.

And Mr. Mokufu said that Nondo area in particular has had a geological mapping project between 2013 and 2015 where the Department of Geological Survey carried out an exercise that led to China Geological Survey to begin the first stage of mineral explorations.

The survey has only documented the types of rocks discovered in these regions and cannot state whether there are any deposits.

Mr Mokufu said it is evident that there are some exploration companies that have exploration permits in these regions therefore he is encouraging more private exploration companies to take up the challenge of mining explorations in the Northern and Luapula provinces to expand the mining industry and create more job opportunities in the country.