The Minerals Regulation Commission (MRC) has considered a cumulative total of 6,226 mining and non-mining rights cases during the last two sittings of the Mining and Non-Mining Rights Licensing Committee.
The cases comprised 2,148 new applications and 4,078 non-compliant active mining and non-mining rights considered during meetings held from July 13 to August 12, 2026, and September 28 to October 2, 2026.
Of the 2,148 new applications, the Committee approved 1,060 applications, representing 49 percent, while 712 applications, or 33 percent, were deferred pending corrections by applicants. A further 375 applications, representing 17 percent, were rejected, mainly due to non-compliance with requirements, including failure to demonstrate adequate financial and technical capacity.
Minerals Regulation Commission Board Chairperson, Matongo Matamwandi, said 437 of the 580 artisanal mining rights applications considered were approved, representing 75 percent. He said the increased participation of cooperatives demonstrates the importance of continued public sensitisation on the new mining law and the formalisation of artisanal and small-scale mining.
Women accounted for approximately 35 percent of approved individual artisanal mining rights, reflecting their continued participation in the sector.
Meanwhile, the Committee considered 745 small-scale exploration licence applications, approving 495, or 66.4 percent, while 131 were rejected and 119 deferred. Mr Matamwandi said some applications were rejected for failing to meet the statutory requirement for citizen participation.
For small-scale mining licences, 43 of the 179 applications were approved, 63 deferred and 73 rejected, with the rejections largely attributed to failure to obtain approved environmental decisions from the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA).
For large-scale exploration licences, the Committee reviewed 554 applications, approving 70, deferring 358 and rejecting 125. Mr Matamwandi attributed the rejections mainly to inadequate financial and technical capacity, deficiencies in proposed exploration programmes and failure to meet statutory requirements.
In the large-scale mining category, nine of the 29 applications were approved, five deferred and 15 rejected, with approvals based on factors including sufficient mineral resources, environmental compliance, technical competence, financial capacity and viable feasibility studies.
The Committee also considered 61 mineral processing licence applications, approving six, deferring 25 and rejecting 30.
Beyond new applications, the Committee issued 60-day default notices to 4,078 non-compliant mining and non-mining rights.
The violations included non-payment of area charges amounting to K48 million as at August 2026, failure to obtain pegging certifications, non-submission of statutory reports and failure to commence approved programmes of operations.
The MRC has warned that failure to respond to the notices will result in further action, including the possible revocation of licences.
Mr Matamwandi said the latest decisions reinforce the Commission’s commitment to efficient, transparent and timely licensing, responsible mineral development and regulatory integrity, while supporting Zambia’s ambition to achieve three million tonnes of annual copper production by 2031 and advancing the broader Zambia Growth Agenda.
MRC Director General Dr Tom Hara said the licensing outcomes demonstrate the Commission’s commitment to facilitating responsible mineral development while maintaining regulatory integrity and safeguarding the national interest.
Dr Hara pledged to continue strengthening the Commission’s licensing systems to ensure that applications are processed efficiently, transparently and within the shortest possible time.
