• 2021 has been partially favorable despite the Covid-19 challenges.
• Sector players made right projections to contribute to national production for Copper.
• Copper is trading relatively well on the global metal market.

Small Scale Miners Association of Zambia says 2021 has been partially favorable for the mining sector despite operational challenges associated with the Covid-19 pandemic.
Speaking in an interview with Money FM News, Association President Kunda Chani stated that during quarter one and second quarter of the year, sector players made right projections to contribute to national production for Copper and other base metals like Manganese as well as Gold.
Mr. Chani noted that the targets have partially been met despite the Covid-19 pandemic which came with operational restrictions.
He observes that Quarter four has also come with Covid-19 in view of the forth wave and government is once again putting up serious measures to improve the economy by making certain tough decisions.
“2021 has been partially favorable despite the Covid-19 challenges. Covid-19 has distorted the normal way of doing business even under our sector. Quarter and Quarter 2 we had made the right projections to contribute to national production, particularly for Copper and other base metals like Manganese and the newly introduced Gold on the market.”
“Obviously quarter 3, and now quarter 4 which has also come with Covid-19, government is putting up again serious measures in a bid to facilitate for particular controls or as it is being referred to as improving the economy by making certain tough decisions. Quarter 4 obviously has hit us so badly,” Mr. Chani noted.
Meanwhile, Mr. Chani called on government and the private sector to come on board and incentivize the sector to help small scale miners grow their businesses.
He added that once businesses grow, small scale miners will be able to contribute effectively to the growth of the economy and creation of more jobs.
“We would like to appeal to government, private sector and cooperating partners that as we go into 2022 which is believed to be a tough year, we invite them on board to incentivize our sector, we require the right support to grow our businesses, when we grow our businesses then we contribute effectively to the growth of the economy, we contribute effectively to the creation of more jobs, we contribute effectively to the collection of required taxes, we contribute effectively again to the increased production of different base metal elements like Copper which is trading relatively well on the global metal market,” he stated.