Illegal miners get back equipment
SOME of the equipment confiscated by the police at Sandawana Mines in Mberengwa from illegal lithium miners last year have been returned to the rightful owners.
Late last year, at least 5 000 artisanal miners and fortune-seekers, including foreigners, descended on the former emerald mine following the discovery of lithium at Sandawana in the Midlands Province.
Against this background, the Government moved in to control lithium mining activities at Sandawana and descended on the mine after it emerged that some foreigners were paying locals US$200 per tonne before exporting the base metal.
The 3 882-hectare concession, which is also rich in vast mineral resources including tantalite, mica, and emeralds.
With a history dating back to 1955 as an emerald operation, Sandawana that has switched ownership over the years is being revamped as a lithium and tantalite mine by Kuvimba Mining House (KMH) that took over the asset in 2019.
The asset that has been idle since 2010 before KMH came in, resumed operations in January this year, now employs 1 200 workers directly and indirectly through contractors at the mine.
Sandawana aims to gradually increase its workforce to 3 000 from the existing 1 200.Speaking during a stakeholder engagement meeting held in Zvishavane on Wednesday, Sandawana general manager Godwin Gambiza said; “I am happy to inform you that last week we held a meeting at Sandawana Mines with the Zimbabwe Republic Police senior officers in the Midlands Province.
“The delegation that attended the meeting was led by Assistant Commissioner Ngavi, in the meeting that was also attended by other JOC (Joint Operations Command) members. We were apprised that the equipment that was confiscated by the law enforcement agents during that chaos (illegal mining) when we were trying to bring sanity so that we build a multi-billion-dollar industry was returned.
“The confiscated equipment was totaling 43 and out of that number, 38 has since been returned to their owners.”
Five of the remaining equipment, Gambiza said the police have reported that they are failing to identify the rightful owners.
“For the remaining equipment, the police have indicated that they are failing to locate the rightful owners who can come forward with proper documentation and claim the equipment.
“Just handing the equipment to people without proper documentation could create problems in future,” he said, adding that if next month lapses without the owners showing up with proper documentation, the five pieces of equipment would go under the hammer,” said Gambiza.
The equipment that was seized by the law enforcement agents comprised of shovels, picks, jack hammers and compressors among others.
Formalisation of the lithium mining in Mberengwa is seen as critical as it would help in the attainment of the US$12 billion mining industry by the end of the year.
In 2019, the Second Republic launched the US$12 billion mining industry strategy by this year with gold, which is the major foreign currency earner anticipated to contribute US$4 billion, platinum (US$3 billion), diamonds (US$1 billion) while chrome, ferro-chrome and carbon steel will generate US$1 billion, and coal (US$1 billion).
Lithium is expected to contribute US$500 million while other minerals will generate US$1,5 billion.-ebusinssweekly
