Emerald miners ready for Grizzly K228m deal

SMALL-SCALE emerald miners will start forming cooperatives following the commitment by Grizzly Mining Limited to procure mining equipment worth K228 million, the Emeralds and Semi-Precious Stones Mining Association of Zambia (ESMAZ has said

ESMAZ president Victor Kalesha, said the association was ready to form cooperatives.

Mr Kalesha said miners that were in one block would form one cooperative as opposed to amalgamating into one entity.

“We are moving as an association, we are just waiting for Government to give us a list of all the mines that are in the same blocks so that we can start grouping them,” he said.

Mr Kalesha said that the association was grateful to Grizzly Mining Limited for committing to procure mining equipment for the miners because the gesture would now enable the miners form a national auction floor where all the small-scale miners could be taking their products to.

“We have been praying and anticipating that somebody would come through for us so that we can also start contributing to the national economy,” Mr Kalesha said.

He added that the commitment by Grizzly would pay off because the cooperatives would be paying back to the giant mining firm as they auction their products either in form of emeralds or in cash.

Mr Kalesha called on Government to spearhead the process so that modalities were straight forward He however indicated that it was not possible to amalgamate all mining firms into one licence as that could not work well.

Grizzly Mining Limited said it was ready to procure mining equipment on condition that the miners in Lufwanyama numbering 600 could form cooperatives and acquire a single mining licence.