Over 1,000 illegal miners have been removed from the Sambani area of Sinda District in Zambia’s Eastern Province, where gold and amethyst mining activities were taking place.
The miners were removed during an operation conducted by the Eastern Province Joint Operations Committee in the early hours of Sunday.
Eastern Province Permanent Secretary Paul Thole, who led the operation, ordered the suspension of mining activities at the site and directed all persons there to leave.
Mr Thole said the mining practices observed at the site posed a serious risk to human life.He said the Government would only allow people with valid artisanal mining licences to operate at the site.
The Permanent Secretary also said the miners would be screened by security officers before leaving the mining area.
According to the authorities, the Government was aware of illegal mining activities in the area.
Most of the miners reportedly moved to the site in July 2026, with some said to have come from neighbouring countries.
By Christopher Miti
