Zambia pursues mineral investment from India and gold sector formalization

India has resumed discussions with Zambia regarding potential investments in copper and other critical minerals. This renewed engagement follows previous negotiations that stalled over mining rights for a 9,000 square kilometer area. The talks are part of a broader strategy by India, through Khanij Bidesh India Ltd, to secure long-term access to minerals essential for renewable energy, electric vehicles, and manufacturing.

Separately, Zambia Investments Holdings Plc (ZCCM-IH) is seeking to formalize its artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector by emulating Ghana’s GoldBoard model. The initiative aims to integrate informal production into a regulated ecosystem to prevent revenue leakage. Official Zambian statistics reported gold exports of under $128 million in 2023, while foreign buyer records in the UAE and Hong Kong indicated nearly $1.9 billion in gold imports, highlighting a significant disparity between official and unofficial trade.