Govt to double down on mineral leakages

THE Government will continue to implement measures to curb mineral leakages that are depriving the country of substantial foreign currency inflows, Mines and Mining Development Minister Zhemu Soda has said.

The leakages are predominantly in the gold sub-sector and other precious and semi-precious stones through smuggling and diversion to the informal market.

It is estimated that the country could be losing billions of United States dollars annually through leakages.

In the gold and lithium sub-sectors, of late, there have been reports of smuggling of minerals to countries such as South Africa, Dubai, and China.

In addition, it has also been reported that semi-precious stones discovered in some parts of the country like Hurungwe and Karoi in Mashonaland West Province where villagers extracted the stones without going through the normal processes that ensure Zimbabwe benefits as a nation, were smuggling the minerals.

After extraction, gemstones such as amethyst, aquamarine, and garnet were illegally sold to unscrupulous dealers that smuggled and exported the semi-precious and coloured stones in raw form.

In his address at the 2023 Mid-Term Performance Review and 2024 Strategic Planning Workshop held by his ministry in Masvingo last week, Mines and Mining Development Minister Zhemu Soda said the Government will also prioritise the capacitation of the metallurgy laboratory among other measures to curb mineral leakages.

In the gold and lithium sectors, there have been reports of rampant smuggling of the minerals to countries such as South Africa, Dubai, and China. (File Picture)

“Furthermore, gold mobilisation exercises would also continue to improve gold deliveries to Fidelity Gold Refiners,” he said.

“In addition, the ministry, MMCZ and other relevant Government departments will have a combined blitz to curb any mineral leakages,” said Minister Zhemu.

Minerals account for more than half of Zimbabwe’s export revenue with gold and platinum accounting for half of the total annual export earnings

Last year, Zimbabwe produced 35,3 tonnes of gold from 33,2 tonnes in 2021 and this year, stakeholders are targeting 40 tonnes.

Under Vision 2030, the mining industry, which is one of Zimbabwe’s major economic mainstays, is expected to anchor the country’s economy towards the envisaged upper-middle-income economy status.

To grow the mining sector, Minister Soda said the Government will also consider the development of curricula for critical minerals and other precious stones like gemstones.

“There is a need to ensure we develop skills for the development of our minerals, particularly energy minerals.

“This will allow us to create the necessary competencies as we move towards value addition of the minerals especially in the wake of lithium, gas and oil discoveries in the country.

“The ministry will continue participating in various global bodies to improve governance of the mining sector.

These include the Kimberley Process, World Coal Association, Inter-Governmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF), among others,” he said.-herald