• MINES, Energy and Water Development Minister Christopher Yaluma learns
how to process gold, while Istanbul Gold Refinery Incorporation general
manager Aysen Esen (middle) and Zambian Ambassador to Turkey Miriam
Mulenga (far right) look on when he toured the plant in Istanbul City in Turkey on Tuesday. Picture by CHILA NAMAIKO

From CHILA NAMAIKO  – in Istanbul, TURKEY

ISTANBUL Gold Refinery Incorporation, a thriving company in Turkey,
has expressed interest in setting up a gold refinery plant in Zambia 
after conducting exploration.
The company, which was initiated in 1996 with support from Turkish
government treasury and the Istanbul Gold Exchange, was accredited to
London Bullion Market Association in 2011, Dubai Multi Commodities
Centre in 2007 and the Istanbul Gold Exchange in 2004.
Company chairperson Ozcan Halac pledged to visit Zambia in a few
months time to explore the gold deposits in areas like Vubwi in
Eastern Province and Mkushi in Central Province.
Mr Halac said, once the explorations were conducted to ascertain
potential gold deposits, his company would set up a refinery plant in
Zambia and create job opportunities.
He was speaking here on Tuesday when Mines, Energy and Water
Development Minister Christopher Yaluma, who was accompanied by Zambian
Ambassador to Turkey Miriam Mulenga and Zesco Board chairperson Watson
Mutale toured Istanbul Gold Refinery plant.
“We read about Zambia’s precious minerals, as a company, we want to
operate at a large-scale and we are interested to come and see
Zambia’s gold deposits to set up refinery plants,” he said.
Mr Halac, a lawyer by professional whose company was doing fine in
gold refineries, in Turkey in Europe, was impressed with Zambia for
being among thriving copper producers in the world.
Mr Yaluma said Zambia had rich minerals citing untapped gold deposits
in Vubwi and Mkushi districts and that Government had embarked on
exploring such mineral deposits countrywide.
He said 60 per cent of Zambia’s mineral deposits were explored
traditionally, but that Government would now use satellite
technologies to map out mineral areas.
Mr Yaluma said the ministry was stamping out illegal mining activities
across the country because the Government was losing huge revenue from
unscrupulous people who were not paying tax.
“Our country is good for investments, that is why we have huge mines
such as Lumwana investing a lot because of a conducive environment
Government is promoting,” he said.
He told Istanbul Gold Refinery Incorporation management that
Government would assist the company to carry out explorations through
the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA).
Mr Yaluma said the Government had embarked on developmenta agenda to
upgrade the railway sector to connect various provinces for easier transportation of minerals.
He said President Michael Sata was fighting corruption and would not
tolerate corrupt workers, adding that Zambia as a haven of peace, had
enabled foreign investors to invest in the country.
Earlier, Ms Mulenga said Zambia’s central locality in Africa could
enable Istanbul Gold Refinery plant to service other gold mines in
neighbouring countries and help foster national developments.