Title: Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Zambia: A Systematic Analysis of the Sector in Relation to Size, Production, Marketing, Value-Addition, Government Regulation and Support
Author/Institution: Richard Musukwaa et al. – University of Lusaka
Publication Year: 2023
Richard Musukwa and colleagues’ 2023 analysis provides one of the most comprehensive reviews of Zambia’s artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector. The study documents how ASM engages a significant but largely unregistered workforce, contributing to livelihoods but often outside formal economic channels. It highlights the limited capacity of the state to regulate the sector effectively, noting challenges such as weak institutional oversight, lack of value-addition initiatives, and informal marketing chains that operate beyond transparent monitoring.
The research underscores that, while ASM could contribute meaningfully to Zambia’s socio-economic development, persistent informality has left it vulnerable to environmental damage, health risks, and illicit practices. Regulatory reforms have been slow, and while policies acknowledge the importance of formalization, enforcement has lagged. The absence of strong governance frameworks means that artisanal miners often work in unsafe conditions, while communities are exposed to hazards linked to unmonitored extraction and waste disposal.
These findings provide essential context for recent events such as the February 18, 2025, tailings dam failure at Sino-Metals Leach Zambia, which released toxic waste into the Kafue River and cut off safe water access for 700,000 people. The disaster illustrates how governance gaps identified in Musukwa’s study— particularly weak regulation and oversight of waste management—translate directly into social and environmental crises. By situating the spill within Zambia’s broader ASM governance challenges, the study confirms that prevention through stronger regulation, inclusive formalization, and effective monitoring is far less costly than reacting to disasters once they occur.