ALL illegal miners should immediately be arrested to curb increased smuggling of precious minerals such as tin and emeralds out of the country, Mines and Minerals Development Minister Richard Musukwa has directed.

Mr Musukwa said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that he instructed the police to make the arrests as illegal mining was depriving the country of earning meaningful revenue.

The Ministers’ directive follows revelations that Zambia was losing about US$400 million from the illegal mining of Tin in Zimba.

“I have directed the police to arrest all those involved in illegal mining of tin in Zimba district with immediate effect. We cannot continue looking for resources when we already have resources that can help us to realise revenue which is being abused and be collected by selfish people,” Mr Musukwa said.

He also said there were many foreigners involved in illegal exploration of tin, warning that they would face the wrath of law.

Mr Musukwa said that government would not allow unscrupulous individuals to continue exploiting minerals thereby depriving Zambians of benefits from the resources that the country was gifted with.

“Whether they are Zambians or foreigners exploiting our resources illegally will be dealt with, I have directed the police to ensure that they are arrested.

The Mineral and Resources Act states that all the minerals should be protected and those involved in illegal mining must be arrested. And what happens is that those who are involved in these illicit activities are just being sent by some people to exploit the resources,” Mr Musukwa said. He said government wanted to ensure that investors exploited the minerals and paid tax which would help to increase the revenue.

Meanwhile, Mr Musukwa has also appealed to mining firms to ensure that there was transparency in the sale of emeralds.

“We call upon the players in the emeralds industry to ensure that they exploit, produce and trade in an open, free and transparency manner,” Mr Musukwa said.

Mr Musukwa, who was speaking at the launch of Kagem emeralds auction in Lusaka yesterday, said government wanted to ensure that the subsector contributed massively to the economic growth of the country.

He also urged the mining firm to participate in developing areas where they operated from to help improve the welfare of the communities.