International News
Zambia Lifts 15% Export Duty on Precious Gemstones
Gemfields Group Limited has expressed strong support for the Zambian government’s decision to suspend the 15% export duty on precious gemstones and metals, a move expected to significantly boost the country’s emerald industry. The suspension, announced by Zambia’s Minister of Finance, Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane, is effective immediately, meaning the duty will no longer apply to emeralds mined by Kagem Mining Limited. The company is majority-owned by Gemfields (75%) with the remaining 25% held by Zambia’s Industrial Development Corporation.
Gemfields CEO, Sean Gilbertson, lauded the government’s swift action, stating, “We express our sincere thanks to President Hakainde Hichilema’s government for their prompt and impressive action in addressing the 15% export duty on precious gemstones. The Zambian emerald sector has experienced exceptional growth over the past 16 years and is now the world’s largest emerald exporter. This decision signals a clear commitment to fostering growth and job creation in Zambia, putting our industry back on track for continued success.”
International News
Gemfields Reports Updated G-Factor Metrics, Highlights Government Revenue Contributions
10-year Data Underscores Fiscal Impact From Kagem and Montepuez Operations Amid Evolving Market Conditions
Gemfields has released its latest G-Factor for Natural Resources figures, offering an updated view of how its mining operations contribute to host government revenues. The data, announced on April 9, 2026 in London, covers the period up to December 31, 2025.
Over the 2016–2025 period, the company reported a G-Factor of 17% for its Kagem emerald mine in Zambia and 26% for Montepuez Ruby Mining in Mozambique. The G-Factor measures the share of revenue paid to governments through channels such as royalties, taxes, dividends, and other levies, offering a transparent benchmark of economic contribution.
Looking specifically at 2025, Montepuez Ruby Mining recorded a G-Factor of 23%, contributing $11.3 million to the Government of Mozambique on revenues of $49.9 million. Meanwhile, Kagem posted a lower 6% G-Factor, with $4.9 million paid to the Zambian government against revenues of $84.1 million.


The dip at Kagem was linked to operational disruptions, including a temporary suspension of mining between January and April 2025, as well as the impact of a 15% export tax on precious gemstones, which was later lifted in March 2025.
CEO Sean Gilbertson noted that the figures reflect varying operating and market conditions. While Montepuez saw lower premium ruby output, alongside a delayed auction and challenges such as illegal mining, its overall contribution ratio remained relatively stable.
Introduced in 2021, the G-Factor serves as a transparency tool for the natural resources sector, helping stakeholders assess how effectively resource extraction translates into public revenue.
Gemfields expects Kagem’s performance to move back toward its long-term average of around 18% as operations normalise and market dynamics improve. The company continues to advocate for wider industry adoption of the metric to enhance accountability and comparability across the sector.
The G-Factor for Natural Resources is expressed as a percentage and is calculated as:
Ap + Bp + Cp + Dp
—————————————
Ep
where:
· A = the total mineral royalty (tax on revenue) paid by the reporting company to the host
country government during the period
· B = the total corporation tax (tax on profit) paid by the reporting company to the host
country government during the period
· C = the dividends paid by the reporting company to the host country government during
the period (where the host country government is a shareholder in the reporting company)
· D = the total export taxes or export levies paid by the reporting company to the host
country government during the period
· E = the total revenues of the reporting company during the period
· p = the relevant period, typically calculated for each of (i) the prior year; (ii) the preceding
5 years and (iii) the preceding 10 years
· The sums actually paid during the period (rather than the sums accrued or falling due during
the period) are used for A, B, C, and D.
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