Small-Scale Gemstone Miners Raise Concern Over New K106,666 ZEMA Fee

Small-scale gemstone miners are raising alarm over what they describe as a steep increase in environmental approval fees, warning that the cost could make it difficult for some operators to renew their mining licences.

The Emerald and Semi-Precious Stones Mining Association of Zambia (ESMAZ) says miners, including emerald operators in Lufwanyama, are being required to pay K106,666.40 for Environmental Project Briefs (EPBs) under the Environmental Management (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations, 2026.

Zambian Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) confirms that Environmental Project Briefs form part of its environmental assessment services under the new regulations.

ESMAZ President Victor Kalesha says the amount represents a sharp increase from the previous K17,000 fee, which the association calculates as an increase of more than 527 percent.

The association says the new cost is particularly difficult for small-scale miners, cooperatives and young Zambian operators who may not have the financial capacity to meet a fee of more than K100,000 for environmental approval.

ESMAZ says the increase could also create problems for miners seeking to renew their licences if they are unable to obtain the required environmental clearance.

The association is questioning what it describes as an inconsistency in the treatment of different categories of small-scale miners.

According to ESMAZ, fees for Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining were recently reduced to between K3,000 and K4,000 to encourage formalisation, while similar relief has not been extended to gemstone miners.

The association is now calling on ZEMA to review the fees and consider setting them within a range of K3,000 to K17,000 for small-scale gemstone miners. It is also asking for waivers for miners currently going through the licence-renewal process.

ESMAZ says it formally wrote to the ZEMA Director General on September 11 and has given the agency until September 30 to respond.

The association is also calling for intervention from President Hakainde Hichilema, saying the President has previously raised concerns about fees that make it difficult for small-scale miners to operate.

ZEMA's statutory role includes administering environmental assessment processes and enforcing environmental regulations, making the dispute a question of how environmental compliance can be balanced with the ability of small-scale operators to meet regulatory costs.

ESMAZ says failure to review the fees could push some small-scale gemstone miners into licence defaults and threaten the viability of the sector.

ZEMA had not publicly responded to the specific allegations in the ESMAZ statement at the time of publication.

Photo Source: Incolour Magazine