ICTS PIVOTAL IN GROWTH Thursday AGENDA – INDIAN ENVOY
March, 2020 ZCCM-IH INVESTS $250, 000 IN GOLD LAB
By BUUMBA CHIMBULU
ABOUT
THE use of Information
$250, 000 has been
Communication Technologies
invested in setting up a
(ICTs) laboratory is crucial that will in establish influencing gold content economic in ore and which social will be productivbought from artisanal and small scale gold
ity, especially during the COVD-
miners Zambia.
19 ZCCM-IH pandemic has set period, up the laboratory says India in partnership High Commissioner with Karma Mining to Services Zambia,
and Rural Development Limited in Consolidated Ngulkham Gold Gangte. Company.
Chief Mr Executive Gangte Officer, said the Mabvuto advanceChipata, ment of explained technology that the purpose would of help
the joint venture was to develop a gold processing spur Zambia’s and trading economic operation developin Zambia. ment into a middle-income coun
Mr Chipata said the investment was
try by 2030.
in line with one of ZCCM-IH’s strategic objectives He observed of value creation that which the was use of to ICTs diversify had its potential investments to away transform from copper to other minerals such as gold
the pivotal sectors of the Zambian
and other precious metals. economy He said this such during as the mining, laboratory agriculmedia ture and tour in finance. Lusaka yesterday.
“This is also in line with Government’s classification Mr Gangte of gold as was a strategic speaking resource during for a virtual Zambia,” business he said. meeting between Consolidated the Gold Indian Company ICT Chief industry
Executive Officer, Faisal Keer, explained that and the the laboratory Zambian would business be able to comprocess munity. about 30 samples per day.
Mr During Keer said the the same laboratory meeting, was critical the
to determine the gold accurately in the
Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) partnered with the Electronics and Computer Software Export Promotion Council (ESC) to create market linkages and business opportunities for businesses from both countries.
“Zambian information technology (IT) companies should webinar, ZDA acting Director endeavour to work with their General, Mukula Makasa, obIndian counterparts in order for served that the two countries had them to tap into theUS$200 bilthe potential to enhance businesslion Indian IT Industry that has es through the use of appropriate the resources, expertise and caICT software and hardware. pacities to support Zambia,” Mr Mr Makasa said India had Gangte said. demonstrated its ability to devel
He expressed confidence “As Karma that Mining Services op new and Rural technology Development, by our providing the Indian IT companies expertise would is in gold processing, cutting but edge we are ICT mostly services working that
with artisanal and small scale gold miners.’’
find enough opportunities to have helped to sail through the support Zambian manufacturers COVID-19 crisis.
ore that would be received from various “This laboratory is targeted at the
and businesses in their quest for “The ZDA as the driver of the
miners, who would get a fair share and operations we are setting up starting with value achieving for their material. higher scales, innovaRufunsa, economic were we development are working with agenda small in
tion, “As Karma industrialisation Mining Services and Rural digitiscale Zambia miners there is excited and art to is anal partner miners with
Development, our expertise is in gold from the surrounding area,” he said.
ESC and it is our sincere hope that processing, sation at but affordable we are mostly costs. working Mr Keer said the laboratory would also with artisanal Speaking and small during scale gold the same be this open to meeting the general will public lead for them to a to win
miners. come and have their samples tested.
Participation of local investors in the economic zone is currently low due to, among other reasons, the minimum investment of US$500,000 which some locals say is prohibitive.
LS-MFEZ Business Development Manager, Francis Kunda, said construction works of the industrial yards
- win situation for the IT compa
were currently on course. nies in both countries,” he said.
Mr Meanwhile, Kunda ESC Executive
explained that the industrial Director yards, Gurmeet Sighn said once India completed, was one of the world’s largwould est sources boost local of IT components that
participation in the economic helped zones. create opportunities for
different He explained countries in that had room an for interview ICT activities. that the industrial yards would Mr enable Sigh small urged Zambian IT inand dustry medium players sized to take advantage entrepreneurs of India’s IT to set exports.
up businesses in the zone. He encouraged the Indian and
Zambian “That one is on IT the Industries to contable tinue and supporting we have IT initiatives in
Citizen Economic and order Empowerment to create more business opCommission portunities who for are both countries.
constructing industrial