By Masauso Mkwayaya & Report by Rosemary Kamanga
Government issued 2,175 mining licences in 2024, marking a sharp increase compared to the 190 licences granted in 2022.
The licences covered a broad range of mining activities, including artisanal mining rights, small-scale and large-scale exploration licences, small-scale and large-scale mining licences, as well as mineral processing licences.
Overall, the licences issued represent an increase of about 500 percent over the last three years, reflecting heightened activity in the mining sector.
According to the PricewaterhouseCoopers –PwC- 2025 Mining Report, the growth is attributed to increased investor interest and improvements in operational processes.
The report notes that the shift from manual to online licence applications has streamlined procedures and significantly reduced processing times.
In its fourth edition, the PwC report also shows that Zambia recorded the second-highest increase in copper production among the world’s top ten producers.
Zambia registered a 12 percent rise in output, with production increasing to 821,000 metric tonnes in 2024 from 732,000 metric tonnes in 2023.
The country was second only to the Democratic Republic of Congo -DRC, which posted a 13 percent increase.
The DRC raised copper production to 3.3 million metric tonnes in 2024 from 2.93 million metric tonnes in 2023.
Meanwhile, Zambia’s cobalt production experienced notable fluctuations between 2021 and 2024.
Official figures show that cobalt output stood at 247 tonnes in 2021 and rose marginally to 251 tonnes in 2022.
Production then surged to 1,507 tonnes in 2023, representing an increase of about 500 percent compared to the previous year.
However, the upward trend did not continue into 2024, as cobalt production declined by 6.4 percent to 1,410 tonnes.
The report further indicates that Zambia’s total export earnings grew by 8.6 percent in 2024, rising to 11.4 billion US dollars from 10.5 billion US dollars in 2023.
PwC attributes this growth largely to higher mineral export earnings, with copper, cobalt and gold contributing a combined 7.8 billion US dollars in 2024, up from 6.7 billion US dollars the previous year.
Minerals accounted for 68 percent of Zambia’s total export earnings in 2024.
