Gold mining in Lusangazi could soon have a more formal place to operate from, following Government plans to establish a mineral market centre in the district.
Chief Sandwe of the Nsenga people has welcomed the proposal, saying the centre could help bring order to the mining sector and ensure that communities benefit from the mineral resources being extracted from the area.
The traditional leader was speaking when a Ministry of Mines delegation, led by Permanent Secretary Dr. Hapenga Kabeta, paid a courtesy call on him at his palace in Lusangazi District.
Dr. Kabeta said Government needs traditional leaders on board in the fight against illegal mining, particularly because of the risks young people are facing in the sector.
He said illegal gold mining has already resulted in the deaths of young people, while Government continues to lose revenue when minerals are extracted and traded outside the formal system.
The proposed mineral market centre is expected to provide a formal platform for mineral trading. This would make transactions easier to monitor, improve transparency and give Government a better opportunity to collect revenue from the sector.
But the mining push is also coming with concerns about how the minerals are processed.
PlanetGOLD Zambia Project National Project Manager Abigail Mwailenge has discouraged miners from using mercury, warning that the substance can seriously harm the environment and expose miners and surrounding communities to health risks.
The Ministry of Mines delegation is currently in Lusangazi to assess the viability of commercial gold mining.
Part of that assessment is to determine whether the district's mineral resources can be developed responsibly while protecting the environment and the communities living around the mining areas.
For Lusangazi, the proposed mineral market centre could therefore mean more than simply having a place to sell gold. It could become part of a wider effort to move the district's mining activity into the formal economy while making sure the people living alongside the mines are not left behind.