By KENNEDY MUPESENI –  A DETAILED geological survey of Lufwanyama emerald area should be established for a technical confirmation of the existence of exact precious stones such as emeralds. This will make it easy for emerald miners to access loans. Cross Country Mining Limited director Shadrack Mwape said in an interview in Kitwe yesterday that lack of updated geological survey was making it difficult to scout for funding for precious and semi-precious stones by miners in Lufwanyama. “The information on the existence of minerals is too old and needed to be updated to enable us have detailed technical confirmation of the existence of precious stones such as emeralds,” Mr Mwape said. Mr Mwape who is acting Emeralds and Semi-precious Stones Miners Association of Zambia (ESMAZ) secretary general said doing so would enable licence holders to access finance and make partnerships between local and foreign investors possible. He is disappointed that despite the country having well qualified geologists at the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Development, local involvement in mineral exploration was too low. “Let us use our own geologists to explore minerals for us to have authenticated information on the existence of certain minerals and increase investments in the mining industry,” Mr Mwape said. He said a well-developed emerald industry had the capacity to transform the economy of the country especially that emeralds were still fetching high amid low prices for minerals like copper. “If 10 or smaller scale emerald miners can be empowered, the economic contribution can surpass big emerald mines like Kagem,” Mr Mwape said. He said the Ministry of Mines should work closely with ESMAZ to develop the industry rather than only working with big licence holders. He said lack of collaboration with the Ministry had been hindering small scale participation in the local emerald auctioning. “We have been eager to take part in the auctioning of emeralds, but we have never been invited in the local auctioning of emeralds since it started,” he said.