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Zambia has potential to produce wide range of minerals - Mphande

Zambia has potential to produce wide range of minerals - Mphande
By Fridah Zinyama
Wed 16 June 2010, 04:00 CAT

UNIVERSITY of Zambia (UNZA) School of Mines lecturer Dr Mathias Mphande yesterday said Zambia’s mineral sector has the potential to produce a diversified range of minerals which can raise US $20 billion if properly managed and developed.

Dr Mpande said the copper/cobalt sector could increase its production from the current 600,000 to 1.5 million metric tonnes within the next five years.

“The gemstones jewellery sector especially from the emeralds, amethyst, gold, platinum and silver can grow into a world-class industry with a cutting and jewellery industry raising more than US$ 20 billion,” he said.

Dr Mpande said the industrial minerals sector producing over 10 million tonnes of cement and limestone, dimension stones, bricks, glass and other refractory products could also be developed in the country.

“Other minerals like coal and methane gas and uranium can be exploited for the country’s benefit,” he said.

Dr Mpande said mineral based industrialisation made development very possible, saying that is what Zambia should be implementing.

“Doing this will help improve skills technology, retained value, income levels, treasury returns and stabilise export revenues (if value adding products are exported),” he said.

Dr Mpande said this strategy should be a way forward which all should embrace and support if Zambia was to grow economically.

“Zambia is at the centre of the African Metallogenic province where all the essential mineral development is found,” he said. “To benefit from the rich mineral heritage will however require a sequence of well-implemented investment programmes”

Dr Mpande said the investment programmes could be in the steel industry, copper product manufacturing, chemical industry and gemstone and jewellery manufacturing.

“Even if Zambia can greatly benefit from exploiting its mineral resources, the social and economic policies protecting the Zambian mining industry over the last 100 years have negatively impacted on the country’s future prospects for development,” noted Dr Mpande.

Labels: MATHIAS MPANDE, MINING

posted by MrK @ 12:10 PM