Zambia approves state-owned gold processing hub to centralise mineral operations

The Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) has approved a government-owned gold processing hub in Mumbwa District, which will serve as a centralised mineral-processing facility for various mines.

Ruth Kanyanga Kamwi, ZEMA’s Manager for Corporate Affairs, said the hub would have the capacity to process 15 tonnes of gold per year once operational.

In a statement issued in Lusaka on Thursday, Kamwi said the facility was expected to reduce environmental impacts by eliminating the need for multiple processing plants, with activities consolidated at a single site.

She said the project, led by the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development, was approved during ZEMA’s 3rd Environmental Assessments Committee meeting held on March 26, 2026.

“A total of 134 projects were considered, with 124 approved, including the construction and installation of an overhead fibre optic cable network along the Kalumbila Turnoff–Kambimba Border Road corridor in Mwinilunga District, which will cover a stretch of 140 km,” Kamwi said.

She added that the project was expected to increase internet access for residents in Kalumbila District and Mwinilunga.

Kamwi said the approved projects spanned several sectors: 69 in mining, 31 in energy, 15 in infrastructure development, 12 in manufacturing and processing, two in agriculture and forestry, and five in tourism.

Meanwhile, five projects were rejected and another five were deferred pending additional information, in line with the Environmental Management (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations of 2026.

“ZEMA remains committed to supporting economic development while promoting sound environmental practices to safeguard human health and the environment in line with the provisions of the Environmental Management Act, Chapter 204 of the Laws of Zambia,” she said.

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