Artisanal mining - Copperbelt Katanga Mining

FQM AND MINE UNIONS SIGN COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT FOR 2024

January 25, 2024January 25, 2024 Constance

First Quantum Minerals Ltd subsidiaries Kansanshi Mining and FQM Trident have signed a collective bargaining agreement with six unions that sees eligible employees receive an 8 percent increase in basic salary from January 1, 2024. The agreement was signed with the National Union of Miners and Allied Workers (NUMAW), Mine Workers Union of Zambia (MUZ), Miners and Allied Workers Union (MAWU), United Mine Workers Union of Zambia (UMUZ), Consolidated Miners and Allied Workers Union of Zambia (CMAUZ), and Miners Technicians, Artisans and Allied Workers Union of Zambia (MTAAWZ).Speaking during the… Read More Here

International Artisanal mining Gold

Tragic Mine Collapse Claims Lives of Over 40 Artisanal Gold Miners in Mali

January 25, 2024January 25, 2024 Constance

More than 40 artisanal gold miners lost their lives last week in southwest Mali when the shaft they were working in collapsed, as reported by Mali’s mines ministry on Wednesday. The incident highlights the dangers associated with artisanal mining, a prevalent activity in West Africa that has witnessed increased demand and higher metal prices in recent years. Artisanal miners often use outdated and unregulated methods, leading to frequent deadly accidents. The tragedy occurred on Friday in the Kangaba Cercle in the south-western Koulikoro Region. While the ministry’s statement on Tuesday… Read More Here

Mining in Zambia Artisanal mining

Zambia’s Small Scale Mining Association Lauds Govt for Granting Local Mining Licenses

January 22, 2024January 22, 2024 Constance

The Small Scale Mining Association expresses appreciation to the government for its initiative in granting numerous mining licenses to local entities. Acting President Kelvin Tembo applauds this move, highlighting its potential to stimulate economic growth and ensure widespread benefits for Zambians from the country’s mineral resources. In an exclusive interview with ZNBC in Kitwe, Tembo emphasizes the need for the government to tighten the procedures for obtaining and reselling mining licenses. This precautionary measure aims to prevent artisanal miners from engaging in unauthorized selling of their licenses. And mining economist… Read More Here

Gold Artisanal mining Mining in DRC

from January 1 to December 11, 2023, Primera Gold exported 4.3 tonnes of artisanal gold

January 11, 2024January 11, 2024 Constance

The Primera Gold company exported, from January 1 to December 11, 2023, 4.3 tonnes of artisanal gold from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to the Dubai market. This export volume should generate revenues of around 261.5 million US dollars if we stick to the sale price on the Dubai Stock Exchange as of January 9, 2023, i.e. 59,580 dollars for a kilogram of gold. In a press release published on September 30, 2023, the communications department of Primera Gold announced that this company had succeeded in exporting, in nine… Read More Here

Mining in Zambia Artisanal mining

Mining Licensing Committee grants 118 artisanal mining rights to Cooperatives in Zambia

January 5, 2024January 5, 2024 Constance

In a stride toward enhancing artisanal mining, Zambia’s Mining Licensing Committee recently sanctioned 118 artisanal mining rights for Cooperatives. This amplifies the count of issued rights for Cooperatives to 206 in the ongoing year. According to Samuel Maango, the Mining Cadastre Department Director, the initial approval of 88 artisanal mining rights for Cooperatives dates back to October 2023. Maango confirmed the issuance of letters of offer to these Cooperatives, with the mining Cadastre slated to embark on an inspection to verify the residency of the beneficiaries at their respective application… Read More Here

International Artisanal mining Mining safety Safety & Health

Mozambique: Tanzanian dies in illegal mine collapse

December 29, 2023December 29, 2023 Constance

An illegal miner of Tanzanian nationality died on Sunday when a mine shaft collapsed in part of the concession granted to the company Montepuez Ruby Mining (MRM), in the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado. According to a statement from MRM, the Tanzanian has been identified as 31 year old Maulide Maunau, who had been living in Nanhupo A, one of the villages that illegal miners use for temporary shelter. “At 20.00 on 24 December, a security official identified a group of 25 illegal miners inside the MRM concession”, said… Read More Here

Mining in Zambia Artisanal mining Mine Safety Mining safety Safety & Health

Minister Foresees Three-Month Search for Trapped Miners in Zambia

December 23, 2023December 23, 2023 Constance

Elisha Matambo, Copperbelt Minister, has revealed that the ongoing search for trapped miners within tunnel one in Chingola is anticipated to stretch over a period of two to three months. Matambo emphasized the extended timeline, citing safety concerns that impede the direct search for the trapped miners using the existing tunnels. Explaining the approach, he highlighted that employing excavators to drill is deemed the safest method to extract the small-scale miners who have been trapped for the past 20 days. However, he provided a glimmer of hope, noting that progress… Read More Here

Artisanal mining Mining in DRC Mining safety

Tragic Landslide Claims Lives of Artisanal Miners in Watsa

November 24, 2023November 24, 2023 Constance

At least five artisanal miners have died (provisional toll) in a landslide that occurred in the gold mining area during the afternoon of Thursday, November 23, 2023, in the locality of Moku-Menze, in the territory of Watsa (Haut-Uele) in the Northeast of the DRC. According to sources from the local civil society, besides the fatalities, nine surviving artisanal miners are severely injured. The same sources state that the sudden stoppage of the engine ventilating oxygen into the holes dug for gold extraction is believed to be the cause of this… Read More Here

Artisanal mining Gold Mining in DRC

Primera Gold exported 100 kg more Artisanal Gold from DRC in November 2023

November 24, 2023November 24, 2023 Constance

For the second time in November 2023, Primera Gold exported 100,095 kg of gold from artisanal mining, from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to the United Arab Emirates. These data are specified by the communication services of this company via its X account (Twitter). “At the start of this week, PrimeraGoldDrc SA exported 100.095 kg of gold from artisanal mining to the United Arab Emirates. This is the second export of this month of November 2023,” informs the Primera Gold Communications Unit. Primera Gold’s first export for the month of… Read More Here

Mining in DRC Artisanal mining Cobalt Copper

Artisanal Mining Realities in Kamilombe

November 12, 2023November 12, 2023 Constance

In the heart of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) Lualaba province lies the artisanal mining site of Kamilombe, a place where thousands of young people gather with the hope of benefiting from the region’s abundant copper and cobalt deposits. However, this promising venture comes with challenges and risks that need attention. At Kamilombe, cooperatives like CMDS oversee around 15,000 artisanal diggers spread across approximately 1,800 wells. These hardworking individuals face perilous conditions due to a lack of proper safety measures and infrastructure. The absence of personal protective equipment contributes… Read More Here