Desiderius Chapewa | Chief Geologist
Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development, Zambia

Desiderius Chapewa is Zambia’s Chief Geologist under the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development, where he oversees national geological survey programs, mining operations reporting, and industry research initiatives. He manages Zambia's National Geological Database, a critical resource for identifying the country’s geology, mineral reserves, and mining activities. With over 21 years of experience in the mining sector, Mr. Chapewa specializes in mineral resource management, exploration strategies, and conceptual studies that enhance mineral production and profitability. He began his career at Konkola Copper Mines, gaining expertise in open-pit and underground copper-cobalt mining, before contributing to exploration projects with Australian and Canadian-listed companies across gold, copper, nickel, and uranium. He later founded a consultancy supporting mineral exploration ventures. Since 2014, he has played a key role in government, driving Zambia’s mineral resource development agenda. He serves on the Technical Committee for the Modernization of the National Institute for Scientific and Industrial Research (NISIR) and is Treasurer of the Geological Society of Zambia (GSZ), actively promoting geoscience professional development. His current research focuses on reflection seismology, an emerging technology that detects deep mineral resources, informs mine planning, and supports sustainable investment in the sector.