gold
ZAMBIA GOLD SECTOR KEY FIGURES
| Share of Total Exports 2024 | Export Value 2024 | Artisanal Training Phase | Cooperatives Targeted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2% | USD 262 million | Phase 3 (Mpika District) | 400 |
Gold accounted for 2% of Zambia’s total exports, worth USD 262 million, in 2024, as the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development runs a nationwide formalization drive that has already trained and licensed more than 400 artisanal mining cooperatives.
The Ministry launched the third phase of its artisanal gold miner training program in Mpika District of Muchinga Province in December 2025, drawing participants from eight provinces and targeting a further 400 cooperatives.
Export Value
Gold represented approximately 2% of Zambia’s total goods exports in 2024, valued at USD 262 million, according to the United States Geological Survey’s National Minerals Information Center[1]. Copper remains Zambia’s dominant mineral export by a wide margin, with First Quantum Minerals Ltd. of Canada identified as the country’s leading copper producer, but gold ranks among the several other mineral commodities the country produces alongside cement, cobalt, fluorspar, lime, limestone, manganese, nickel and gemstones[1].
Formalising Artisanal Gold Mining
The Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development officially launched the third phase of its nationwide training program for artisanal gold miners in Mpika District, Muchinga Province, in December 2025, with participants drawn from eight provinces across the country[2]. The phase targets 400 mining cooperatives, building on earlier phases in which more than 400 cooperatives were already trained and licensed[2]. The Ministry describes the initiative as a pivotal step in formalising the artisanal mining sector, aimed at enhancing safety, boosting productivity and driving economic empowerment in line with the government’s agenda of creating opportunities and sustainable growth for mining communities[2].
Investment Opportunities
With more than 800 artisanal mining cooperatives now trained or targeted for training and licensing across two completed phases and the current third phase, the government’s formalisation drive is building a growing pipeline of licensed, traceable small-scale gold producers, an increasingly organised supply base relevant to any buyer, refiner or processing investor assessing Zambia’s artisanal gold segment[2]. Mining licences, including for gold, are administered through Zambia’s online Mining Cadastre Information System, the Ministry’s official portal for licence applications and status checks[2].
Last Update: September 2026
