Applied engineering and equipment design: the technical collaboration between the Artisanal Gold Council and Oro Sinú for mining in Zambia.

The Artisanal Gold Council has continued its efforts to support the professionalization of Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM) in Zambia through a technology sourcing mission to Medellín, Colombia. The visit focused on the facilities of equipment manufacturer Oro Sinú, seeking to identify and adapt effective technological solutions to the Zambian context.

Engineering and development tailored to smallholder miners

Designing suitable machinery requires a thorough understanding of ground conditions and the operational needs of artisanal miners. Alberto Villamil, Mechanical and Project Engineer at Oro sinú, detailed the company's technical capabilities and the joint project:

“I am a mechanical engineer and project engineer here at Oro Sinú. At Oro Sinú, we develop equipment for small and medium-scale mining. We mainly have a whole engineering team dedicated to design and development, alongside an in-house manufacturing plant where we produce all the equipment delivered to our clients. Today, we have an alliance with the Artisanal Gold Council where we are developing equipment tailored for small-scale miners—equipment that adjusts to small-scale miners and adapts to the needs of this mining, whether for alluvial mining or vein mining."

Clean technology for pilot plants

As a result of this close collaboration in design and engineering, technical discussions were finalized for the procurement, testing, and installation of a helicoidal cone. Operating through gravity concentration, this unit recovers alluvial gold efficiently without relying on mercury.

Once operational, the equipment will be integrated into Mercury-Free Processing System (MFPS) pilot plants in Zambia. These facilities will serve as demonstration and shared processing centers for artisanal miners, enabling them to recover gold safely, cleanly, and profitably.

Building local technical capacity

The mission also explored opportunities for collaboration with local equipment fabricators and academic institutions in Zambia. By fostering technical partnerships across borders, the Artisanal Gold Council reinforces its commitment to safer, cleaner, and more responsible mining practices while expanding access to sustainable solutions throughout Zambia's ASGM sector.