The company's managing director in Malawi Bishop Andrew Mankhanamba, says the machine is in the country and asked players in theMalawi ministry of mining to utilize it.

Bishop Mankhanamba made the call on Saturday afternoon when he handed over other small scale mining machines to Chisimbwiti and Tagwirizana Cooperatives in Balaka district.

"On top of these machines, we also have the best gold refining machines in the country, which may benefit other miners - both large and small scale," said Bishop Mankhanamba.

He says they parted with about K250 million for acquire the machines which they have donated to the two Balaka cooperatives as one way of encourasuring a stop to illegal mining, which he says is not profitable apart from a threat to life and the environment.

Minister of mining Monica Chang'anamuno has commended Judah Natural Resources Limited for the machines, saying government will make better use of all them.

She also ordered illegal small-scale minors around the area to stop immediately, and join the two cooperatives.

Chang'anamuno said: "We are saving both the illegal miner from health hazard, and their surrounding from soil degradation. They will now go legal, and have a ready market in Judah Natural Resources Limited."

Group village headman Chitimbe says this is a relief as most middlemen have been benefiting from the illegal small-scale mining more than the people on the ground.