Paul Kabuswe urges stakeholders to support mining exploration works

MINING explorations are still at less than fifty percent since Zambia started the mining industry, Mines and Mineral Development Minister Paul Kabuswe has disclosed.

Mr Kabuswe has called on stakeholders to continue supporting mining exploration for the country to realise how much it was endowed with in the minerals.

He said currently, Zambia’s exploration of minerals was yet to provide evidence of how much Zambia was endowed with mineral resources.

Mr. Kabuswe said it was regrettable that Zambia’s mineral exploration was less than 50 percent since independence but that Government was expanding its exploration activities.

He stated that Government was not going to relent in achieving the goal of knowing the volume of its mineral resources so that it could devise the best polices of how to manage the resources.

Mr Kabuswa stated that there was need to improve exploration activities so that the country could maximise its mining activities and improve the economy.

And Mr. Kabuswe is confident that the achievement of the IMF bailout package would increase interest by investors to partner with the government in growing the mining sector.

Mr. Kabuswe said an economy that attracts confidence was key towards encouraging more investment players in many sectors.

Meanwhile, mining expert Edward Simukonda says there is need for Government to take advantage of improved confidence in the mining sector to build value addition plants if the country is to fully benefit from its mineral resources.

Mr. Simukonda has said there was need to understand that Zambia had not really benefited from the mining sector despite the increase in copper prices on the international market.

He said the country had the capacity to have industries that support value addition but there was need for government to be firm and compel the investors to do so.