Established location
Plot 23B lies in Lufwanyama District within Zambia’s Kafubu emerald mining area.
Santas Mining Ltd operation · Kafubu Emerald Mining Area · Zambia
A proven emerald project. Ready for its next chapter.
Santas Mining Ltd is a Zambian family-owned small-scale emerald mining company seeking strategic capital, equipment and operating partners to advance production in the world-renowned Kafubu emerald belt.
148 haBoundary-marked project area
39Core drilling locations
36 mCurrent pit depth
ValidSmall Scale Mining Licence
01 Our company
Zambian owned · PACRA registered · ZRA compliant
Experience rooted in the land. Ambition built for the future.
Founded by Violet and Roy Lewis, the Santas Mining Ltd story began with prospecting at Plot 23B in 1989. The discovery and official recognition of green beryl led to the project’s first mining licence and decades of family stewardship.
Santas Mining Ltd is registered with Zambia’s Patents and Companies Registration Agency (PACRA), compliant with the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA), and holds a valid Small Scale Mining Licence.
Our founders A shared vision
Violet & Roy Lewis
From a small shop to emerald mining.
The Santas story began with Santas Fashion Shop, a small business founded by Violet Lewis. Income from the shop helped fund the family’s early prospecting and their move into emerald mining—turning one Zambian enterprise into the foundation for another.
Violet and Roy Lewis developed the project as a married couple with careers in education. Violet, a primary school teacher, became one of the first Zambian women accepted for an exploration mining licence and a pioneer for women in emerald mining. Roy, a Mathematics and Computer Science lecturer at Copperbelt University, brought analytical thinking and technical discipline to the operation. His lecturing position was supported through a UK Government Overseas Development Administration programme. When that support ended in 1994, Roy and Violet committed more fully to developing their mining venture. Together, they turned an identified opportunity in the Kafubu emerald region into a long-term family enterprise.
02 The opportunity
Investment proposition
Exploration is complete. The focus is production.
Santas Mining Ltd is not seeking investment to prove that emeralds exist. Geological work, core drilling, historical extraction and physical samples provide the foundation. The next phase is equipment, operating capacity and responsible scale.
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Regional market benchmark
Published Zambian emerald auction results.
Recent Kagem and Grizzly auctions demonstrate the international market for rough emeralds from Zambia’s Copperbelt region.
US$7.46per carat
Kagem commercial quality
December 2025 average
US$146.08per carat
Kagem higher quality
May 2026 average
≈ US$16.54per carat
Grizzly medium-to-high grade
May 2025 implied average
These are regional auction benchmarks, not a valuation of Santas Mining Ltd emeralds. The Grizzly figure is calculated from reported revenue and carats sold. Individual values depend on colour, clarity, size, quality, treatment and independent professional grading.
Understanding rough emerald quality
What defines a quality Zambian rough emerald?
Zambian rough emeralds from the Kafubu region are recognised for rich green to bluish-green colour, strong saturation and the potential for good clarity. Buyers assess colour, clarity, carat weight and cutting potential, together with transparency, fractures, treatment, traceable origin and the likely finished-gemstone yield. Larger rough emeralds are not automatically more valuable: strong colour, clean usable sections and good cutting potential can make smaller material more valuable per carat. Final value requires independent professional grading.
Technical foundation
Geological mapping, surveys, core drilling and resource modelling are referenced in the project report.
Practical growth plan
Capital is directed toward open-pit equipment, dewatering, haulage, power and professional operations.
03 Why invest in Santas Mining Ltd?
A practical opportunity
A strong foundation for the right partner.
The company’s mining proposal and geological report document an established emerald-region location, completed technical work and a clear route toward responsible production. Detailed geological, operational and commercial information is reserved for qualified investors during due diligence.
Recognised location
Situated within Zambia’s internationally known Kafubu emerald mining area.
Technical groundwork
A complete geological survey conducted by an independent third-party geologist, together with mapping, magnetic surveying and diamond core drilling, supports informed development planning.
Licensed & compliant
A valid Small Scale Mining Licence, PACRA registration and ZRA compliance.
Clear next phase
The proposal prioritises fit-for-purpose equipment, operating capacity and responsible production.
04 Location & investment environment
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COPPERBELT PROVINCEZAMBIA
The Kafubu emerald belt
Positioned in a globally recognised emerald region.
Plot 23B is in the Emerald Restricted Area of Lufwanyama District. The 148-hectare project area has marked boundaries. The wider Kafubu field is internationally known for Zambian emeralds and supports an established mining ecosystem.
- Project
- Santas Mining Ltd · Plot 23B
- Area
- 148 hectares · boundaries marked
- District
- Lufwanyama
- Province
- Copperbelt, Zambia
- Operation
- Small-scale open-pit emerald mining
Santas Mining Ltd location
Explore the project location.
View the Santas Mining Ltd operation at Mufyeni, Zambia, and open the full Google Maps listing for directions and surrounding geography.
Official investor guidance
Understand the steps for investing in Zambia.
The Zambia Development Agency provides official guidance for local and international investors, including investment procedures, business establishment, available support, facilitation and applicable incentives.
Visit the Zambia Development Agency ↗05 Equipment & partnerships
Development requirements
Machinery to move from potential to production.
The priority is fit-for-purpose open-pit mining equipment, processing facilities and supporting infrastructure required to move SANTAS MINING LTD into efficient and sustainable production.
The project does not require crushing equipment.
Excavators
Excavation of the open pit, removal of overburden, clearing and preparation of operational areas, and construction and maintenance of site access roads. Excavators will also be used to form and maintain safe pit benches, reducing risks associated with steep pit walls, while progressively removing earth and material to advance the pit deeper into productive areas and move excavated material through the production process towards washing and sorting.
Dump Trucks
Transport of excavated material from the pit to designated dump areas and the washing and sorting plant, supporting the continuous movement of material through the mining operation.
Loaders
Loading and handling of material within the pit, dump areas and washing and sorting operations, as well as supporting the movement of materials and equipment around the mine site.
Dewatering Systems
Management and removal of groundwater and rainwater from the open pit to maintain safe, accessible and workable mining conditions and allow operations to continue as the pit develops to greater depth.
Site Power
Reliable power generation and distribution for the washing and sorting plant, workshop, campsite, site lighting, communications, security systems and other essential mining operations.
Security, Surveillance & Secure Asset Transfer
Layered security designed to protect people, production and product. Investment will strengthen trained security personnel, access control, surveillance, communications and secure infrastructure across the pit, washing and sorting plant, storage areas and wider mine site. Controlled chain-of-custody procedures will safeguard rough emeralds and other high-value assets from recovery and sorting through secure storage and authorised transportation—reducing loss, strengthening traceability and protecting investor value.
Logistics & Transportation
Vehicles and transport capacity for personnel, equipment, fuel, supplies and materials, supported by reliable internal mine roads and access routes.
Washing & Sorting Plant
Development of a dedicated facility for washing, screening and controlled sorting of emerald-bearing material, supporting efficient emerald recovery, grading and secure handling throughout the production process.
New Campsite, Staff Welfare & Medical Facilities
Development of a purpose-built mine campsite providing safe accommodation, catering, sanitation, communications and welfare facilities for the workforce. The development will include an appropriately equipped on-site medical facility providing first aid, emergency response, initial treatment, stabilisation and a clear process for medical evacuation when required.
Workshop & Garage
Construction and equipping of an on-site workshop and garage for servicing, repair and preventative maintenance of excavators, dump trucks, loaders and other mine vehicles and equipment. This will reduce downtime, improve equipment reliability and support continuous mining operations.
Kitwe Administration & Finance Office
Establishment of a dedicated office in Kitwe to support SANTAS MINING LTD’s administration, finance and corporate operations. The office will provide a professional base for accounting, payroll, procurement, record keeping, compliance documentation, management meetings and coordination between the mine site and external partners.
Controlled Blasting & Explosives Management
Licensed procurement and controlled use of commercial explosives to safely break hard rock and advance open-pit development where mechanical excavation alone is insufficient. All purchasing, transportation, secure storage, handling and blasting will be managed by qualified and authorised personnel in accordance with Zambian mining, explosives, safety and environmental requirements.
06 Responsible development
Built to endure
Responsibility is the operating model.
Safety, environmental care, local opportunity and transparent governance will be embedded in daily operations.
Corporate compliance
PACRA-registered and ZRA-compliant Zambian company holding a valid Small Scale Mining Licence.
Safety & environment
Qualified leadership, responsible land use, pit-water control and alignment with applicable requirements.
Local opportunity
Employment, skills development and supplier opportunities for surrounding communities.
Governance & traceability
Financial controls, secure gemstone handling and clear reporting for future partners.
07 Project history
Prospecting begins
Prospecting begins at Plot 23B and green beryl is subsequently identified.
Licensed development
A mining licence is secured and a local workforce supports early mining activity.
Development phase
Technical work and samples support the search for the right partners to scale.
08 On the ground
A real project, documented at site.
Current imagery from the Santas Mining Ltd operation shows the open pit, workforce, equipment, geology, rough emerald recovery and mine access.
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Strategic investment · Equipment · Joint ventures