By JOHN KOMBE
GOVERNMENT will soon establish a gold market centre in Rufunsa so that miners do not travel long distances to sell their gold, ZCCM-IH Gold has said.
Company public relations officer, Liyani Kaputo said the ZCCM-IH Gold was putting logistics together for the project.
Mr Kaputo said the artisanal miners, gold cooperatives, individuals and gold mining companies in the area were currently taking their gold to the company offices in Lusaka.
He said that this was proving to be labourious and as such the setting up of a marketing centre in the area was inevitable.
Mr Kaputo said in an interview that the company was buying gold from different parts of the country through established market centres and the office in Lusaka.
He said the establishment of a centre in Rufunsa would help to increase gold purchases in the area.
And Ministry of Mines and Mineral Development director of mines, Fred Banda earlier confirmed that the government wanted to increase efficiency in the purchasing of gold in Rufunsa.
Mr Banda said that it was for this reason that the Zambia Consolidated Gold Mining Company was engaged to ensure that the setting up of a market centre was expedited.
Meanwhile, the development has cheered the gold mining cooperatives in Rufunsa.
Chimwetu Gold Mining Cooperative chairman, Emmanuel Tembo observed that the setting up of a market centre would help to curb illegal gold marketing.
Mr Tembo said that this will help to discourage and deter illegal gold buyers who had infiltrated the area.
He said that illegal gold buyers were taking advantage of the lack of a legal buyer in the area by offering very low prices.
Mr Tembo noted that the government price was lucrative, but the distance to the market centre at the Zambia Consolidated Gold Mining Company in Lusaka was quite far for those who preferred to do business on the spot.
He commended government for its decision to set up a market centre in Rufunsa.
