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Industrial Mineral Resources of Zambia Clive Mitchell, British Geological Survey, UK &

Boniface Muibeya, Geological Survey Department, Zambia Abstract Zambia has for many years been heavily dependent upon the mining of copper which, combined with cobalt production, represents over 98% of mineral sales and 75% of export earnings (1997 figures).

The industrial minerals industry within Zambia has therefore been inevitably tied to the fortunes of these two metals. The recent privatization, and break up, of ZCCM (Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines) has led to a resurgence in investment in the mining sector. Many analysts have predicted that there will be a positive effect on the Zambian economy, stimulating construction and infrastructure development and increasing the demand for industrial minerals. This paper summarises the available information on the industrial mineral resources of Zambia. Ten industrial minerals are described, with reference to some of the work carried out over recent years by the British Geological Survey, in conjunction with the Geological Survey Department of Zambia. Introduction Zambia is a landlocked country in central southern Africa which is bordered by Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia (Figure 1). It is a large country (752,614 km2 ) with a population of about

11 million people, mostly found within the urban centres of Lusaka, the Copperbelt, Kabwe, Kapiri Mposhi and Livingstone. Zambia is divided into nine provinces (Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka, North-Western, Northern, Southern and Western). It is dissected by four major river systems (Zambezi, Kafue, Luangwa and the Luapula). The road network is limited but well maintained between the main centres and there is a well-established infrastructure of domestic and international telecommunications. Zambia is internationally recognised as a major producer of copper and cobalt (ranked as the seventh and second highest world producer respectively). It also produces precious metals (gold, silver), gemstones (amethyst, aquamarine, emerald and tourmaline), coal and industrial minerals. The production of industrial minerals is, however, small (Table 1). Figure 1. Map of Zambia, with provinces &

provincial headquarters The recent privatisation of the Zambian copper industry, as well as other parastatal businesses, is proving to be an incentive for renewed investment in the mining industry and is generally improving the prospects for the economy. The investment opportunities in the Zambian mining industry are highlighted in the recent promotional and technical documents produced by the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Development (1999). A detailed technical document entitled ?Zambia?s Mineral and Energy Resources: Legislation, Resources and Exploration Potential? is also available from the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development (hard copy and CD-ROM). Also a Geographical Information System (GIS), which enables the occurrences of all Zambian minerals to be readily demonstrated, is in place at the Zambian Geological Survey Department (GSD) in Lusaka. This GIS can accommodate mineral-related queries tailored to individual needs. This paper describes the geology of Zambia, followed by brief descriptions of ten industrial minerals. It is not an exhaustive inventory of occurrences, as this information can be found in the documents mentioned above or by contacting those people listed at the end of the paper. However, it is intended that this paper should highlight the industrial minerals resources of Zambia and their potential. Table 1. Production of industrial minerals in Zambia Industrial mineral / product Production figure (tonnes) Aggregate (crushed limestone) 700,000 ? Agricultural lime (2000 estimate) ~20,000 ? (~100,000 C 150,000) Building stone (inc. dimension stone) 700,000 ? Cement 206,266 * Clay for brick-making