Zambia’s Kikonge mining project secures US$2m investment commitment

The Kikonge Mining Project in Mufumbwe District has received about US$2 million in investment commitments from ZCCM-IH and Mine Mineral Resources towards infrastructure development and the procurement of mineral processing equipment.

ZCCM-IH Chief Executive Officer Kakenenwa Muyangwa said the investment would strengthen infrastructure at the project and provide a firm foundation for the formalisation and development of artisanal and small-scale mining activities.

Mr. Muyangwa said road construction works being undertaken by the Zambia National Service were 75 percent complete, with all culverts installed and the final gravel layer being laid.

He said the road works were expected to be completed by the end of September 2026.

He added that construction of a dam across the Musonweji Stream had commenced following the signing of a contract on August 24, 2026.

Site preparatory works, including bush clearing, are underway and are expected to be completed within approximately five months.

Mr. Muyangwa said the project would also support artisanal and small-scale mining cooperatives through capacity building and training, improved mining practices, better organisation of production and greater transparency in mineral marketing.

He said the project would create opportunities for value addition and mineral processing within Zambia, while strengthening compliance systems for the benefit of both miners and the government.

Mr. Muyangwa said formalisation of the ASM sector would enable cooperatives to access finance, technical assistance, equipment and reliable markets.

He therefore encouraged mining cooperatives to organise themselves and position themselves to benefit from future support programmes.

Mr. Muyangwa was speaking during a stakeholders’ engagement meeting on the operationalisation of the Kikonge Mining Project in Mufumbwe District, Northwestern Province.

The developments at Kikonge form part of broader government efforts to transform artisanal and small-scale mining into a more organised, productive, safe and economically viable component of Zambia’s mining value chain.