LUSAKA, May 18 – Zambia’s state-owned mining investment company has established a new joint venture aimed at formalizing artisanal gold mining and expanding gold-processing capacity in the country’s North-Western Province.
ZCCM Investments Holdings Plc said it will hold a 51% stake in the newly formed Kyalo Goldfields Ltd., while Mining Mineral Resources Sprl will own the remaining shares.
The joint venture, incorporated on May 6, will operate in the Kikonge area, which became the center of a large-scale artisanal gold rush beginning in 2025.
Thousands of informal miners had moved into the region following reports of significant gold deposits, prompting intervention by security forces amid concerns over illegal mining and disorderly operations.
According to ZCCM Investments Holdings Plc, the new venture will focus on formalizing safer artisanal mining practices, introducing mechanized gold production methods and developing local gold-processing infrastructure.
The company said the initiative forms part of its broader strategy to deepen participation in Zambia’s gold industry and strengthen the country’s domestic mineral value chain.
The move reflects growing efforts across Africa to formalize artisanal mining sectors that have historically been linked to smuggling, unregulated trade and lost government revenue.
Mining Mineral Resources Sprl is based in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo and specializes in mining and processing gold, tin, tantalum and tungsten.
Another company within the same group recently participated in the launch of Congo’s first state-backed gold refinery earlier this year.
Both Zambia and Congo are increasingly seeking to capture more value from their mineral resources through local processing, formalization and tighter oversight of supply chains.
The development also comes amid sustained strength in global gold prices, which have encouraged increased exploration and artisanal mining activity across several African countries.
