Government pledges to support small scale miners
The Ministry of Mines and Mining Development has expressed commitment to support the artisanal and small-scale miners as the sector is playing a key role in the mining industry and is improving livelihoods in line with Sustainable Development Goals.
In the first nine months, the sector delivered 13,8 tonnes of gold to Fidelity Printers and Refineries which is 61 percent of the total gold delivered to the refinery.
Gold is Zimbabwe’s single largest foreign currency earner while artisanal miners account for more than half the country’s national production.
The sector is supposed to contribute US$4 billion towards the US$12 billion mining milestone by the end of this year.
Addressing delegates at the Artisanal, Small-Scale Miners conference on Friday in Bulawayo, Mines and Mining Development Minister Soda Zhemu said the mining sector remains critical to the Zimbabwean economy contributing more than 60 percent to the exports.
The conference was held under the sub-theme: “Unlocking Zimbabwe’s Mining Potential: Empowering Small-scale and Artisanal Miners.”
Minister Zhemu said the sector employs about 45 000 people formally and more than 500 000 in the informal sector.
Gold deliveries to the Fidelity Printers and Refineries have been increasing with small-scale miners contributing more than established companies.
“The Government of Zimbabwe is committed to the development of the artisanal, small-scale sector and has come up with various support mechanisms. These include Gold Development Fund where Fidelity Printers and Refineries have been disbursing loans in order to capacitate our small-scale miners,” said the Minister.
“Artisanal miners have the potential to produce much more and their progress is hampered by a lot of challenges that include inadequate funding, equipment, skills, technology and lack of business acumen in some cases.
“In order to deal with the complexity of artisanal mining and fully realise their economic impact, the artisanal and small-scale miners are encouraged to formalise their operations and continue to unite under umbrella bodies.
“This enhances self-governance of the artisanal and small-scale miners sector and enables miners to speak with one voice in engagements with various stakeholders including the Government. I, therefore, applaud various mining groups for joining together under one umbrella body, the ZMF.”
In addition, the ministry also runs the Mining Industry Loan Fund where miners are financed to procure equipment through a revolving fund.
The minister said his ministry will continue to engage the Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion to increase funding to the mining sector.
He said the Government is also setting up gold service centres across the country to capacitate artisanal and small-scale miners ZMDC.
“In the same vein, the Government through the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe is in the process of streamlining the marketing of coloured gemstones which has been the major problem in the development of this potentially promising sub-sector,” he said.
“It is important to note there are huge numbers involved in the artisanal and small-scale mining sector and as such, Government support only will be inadequate. I therefore call upon the private sector and other investors to pursue the huge opportunities that lie within the sector.”
Minister urged the small-scale miners to shun all malpractices associated with the sub-sector as he said it tarnishes the image of the sector.
He urged all miners to work within the parameters of the law in line with President Mnangagwa’s Responsible Mining Initiative which seeks to protect the environment.
This year’s Mine Entra was running under the theme: “Accelerating Economic Transformation through Mineral Beneficiation”, and Minister Soda said small-scale miners have led to the development of industry linkages through small and medium enterprises that have found a niche in the manufacturing of mining equipment and supply of chemicals. — chronicle
