Social Anthropologist Dr. James Musonda has emphasized the importance of the government taking proactive efforts to ensure Zambians fully benefit from recent breakthroughs at the Mingomba mine, where artificial intelligence has uncovered massive copper deposits with higher ore grades.
Dr. Musonda states that between 2000 and 2015, approximately $15 Billion was invested in the mines, yet this coincided with substantial job losses, subcontracting, and deteriorating living conditions in mining towns that are still undeveloped to date.
He is concerned that new investors will use advanced technology to extract minerals quickly and efficiently, creating few jobs but leaving Zambia to deal with the aftermath on its own.
He has advocated for a change in Zambia’s mining policy, which now allows foreigners to work without paying taxes, citing the new nickel mine with 700 contractor jobs as an example of a bad deal for Zambia.