By NATION REPORTER
PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema says the exploration of the country’s mineral endowment is critical in the development of the mining sector.
ZANIS reports that President Hichilema says the mapping of mineral endowment is an important ingredient in driving the country’s national development.
The Head of State said this yesterday when he launched the country wide high resolution aerial geophysical survey.
President Hichilema said that the mapping exercise would be used to bring order in the mining sector and curb the illegal mining that had become rampant across the country.
President Hichilema stated that the country’s rich resource endowment should benefit everyone and not a few selected individuals.
The head of State said government would only be able to know what mineral was in a particular region before forming joint partnerships with would-be investors.
The Head of State stated that the mineral exploration would also be used to determine how much underground water was in the county.
President Hichilema said from the findings, the government would be able to invest in irrigation so as to avert hunger in the wake of the drought.
He urged Zambians to ignore people fond of fabricating lies alleging that the government has sold the mineral worth of the country to foreigners.
And Lusaka Province Minister, Sheal Mulyata said the launch of the aerial geophysical survey was crucial in determining the country’s full mineral potential.
Mrs Mulyata stated that the mineral mapping exploration would provide the government with information on the mineral endowment in all the ten provinces.
She expressed optimism that the launch of the mineral mapping exercise will greatly contribute in reshaping the future of the mining industry in Zambia.
And Xcalibur Smart Mapping Chief Executive Officer, Andres Blanco Grasa thanked the government for entrusting the company with the responsibility of generating the mineral mapping data.
Mr Grasa said the data to be generated during the national mineral mapping exercise would be of high quality.
He explained that the technology to be used in the exercise is being used for the first in Africa and Zambia will have the best mineral data mapping compared to other African countries.
Mr Grasa assured the government that his company would train some Zambians as part of skills transfer in the interpretation of mineral data.
Meanwhile, Minister of Mines and Minerals Development, Paul Kabuswe thanked President Hichilema for providing the leadership towards the launch of the mineral exploration exercise.
Mr Kabuswe said this was the first time that mineral mapping has been done in Zambia since 1972 saying the mineral mapping exercise will enable the government know what mineral deposits are found in different parts of the country.
Mr Kabuswe pointed that the mineral mapping exercise was meant also to bring order and sanity in the mining sector.
Author
