Graphite critical mineral reconnaissance field work, Petauke District, Eastern Province, Zambia, July-August 2025

Zambia is a major producer of minerals and is seeking value-addition from the exploitation of its indigenous mineral resources. Alongside copper, cobalt and gemstones, the Zambian Government has prioritised the development of critical and battery raw materials, including graphite, to support the global transition to a low‑carbon economy. This focus is reflected in the National Critical Minerals Strategy 2024–2028 and in growing international collaboration to improve geological knowledge a resource potential.
As part of this effort, the British Geological Survey (BGS), in collaboration with the Geological Survey Department of Zambia (GSD) and Copperbelt University (CBU), is undertaking research to assess the graphite resource potential of Zambia. The work forms part of the BGS International Geoscience Research & Development (IGRD) programme and builds directly on earlier graphite reconnaissance fieldwork carried out in Petauke District in June 2023. The July–August 2025 visit aimed to further develop and test graphite reconnaissance methodologies, with a particular focus on integrating remote sensing with field‑based observations.
Graphite in Zambia is known to occur predominantly as flake graphite within Paleoproterozoic metasedimentary gneiss and schist units across Central and Eastern Zambia. Petauke District, Eastern Province, was selected for the 2025 fieldwork based on previously reported graphite occurrences and the opportunity to evaluate satellite‑derived targets in an area characterised by extensive lateritic cover. Fieldwork was undertaken between 23 July and 5 August 2025, with appropriate engagement of national, provincial and district authorities and with the support of the Nsenga traditional leadership.
Remote sensing analysis using Sentinel‑2 multispectral data was used to identify potential graphite targets for ground truthing. Over five days of fieldwork, 20 sites were visited across the Kalobe, Kalindawalo Farm, Chimwele‑Agripa, Mulalo, Chiso and Damiano areas. Trenching at many target sites intersected lateritic soils and ferricrete with no graphite identified to depths of up to one metre. In contrast, graphite was commonly observed in drainage channels and erosion features where bedrock exposure was present, highlighting the strong control of tropical weathering on graphite detectability.
Graphite mineralisation was confirmed as crystalline flake graphite hosted mainly in paragneiss, occurring disseminated through the rock matrix or concentrated in graphite‑rich bands. Samples of graphite‑rich gneiss and weathered material were collected, with duplicate sets retained in Zambia and by BGS for further laboratory characterisation. Engagement with local communities, particularly potters who use graphite for polishing ceramics, provided valuable insights into the distribution of near‑surface graphite and proved an effective reconnaissance indicator.
The reconnaissance fieldwork demonstrated that satellite remote sensing alone has limited effectiveness in areas where graphite is largely concealed beneath lateritic cover, but that it can support field targeting when combined with geomorphological observations and local knowledge. Overall, the field campaign successfully confirmed graphite occurrences in Petauke District and further refined a practical reconnaissance approach that will contribute to future prospectivity analysis and to strengthening national capability for critical mineral assessment in Zambia.