EIA compliance on black granite impresses EMA
The Government is impressed with the rate of compliance by companies mining black granite in Mutoko, Mashonaland East province to undertake Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) processes.
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The EIA is a legal requirement in Zimbabwe in terms of the Environmental Management Act as read with Statutory Instrument 7 of 2007.
It is a tool used to define, quantify and evaluate the potential and known impacts of human activities on ecosystems at the earliest stage of project development.
In Zimbabwe, projects that require EIAs include mining, quarrying and housing developments.
Environmental Management Agency (EMA) Mashonaland East education and publicity officer Astus Mabwe told New Ziana that the regular inspections that they made at the mining sites in the district were spurring the compliance.
At least 10 companies extract the black granite in Mutoko, namely Natural Stone, CRG, Zimbabwe International Quarry, Ilford Red and Enterprises.
“Granite mining companies in Mutoko have been forthcoming in terms of compliance with the EMA Act. All of the companies operating in the district now have EIA certificates and all relevant licenses that are issued by the agency in terms of the Act. As EMA, we continue to do monitoring inspection to check on any deviations from license conditions,” Mabwe said.
It is estimated that 150 000 tonnes of black granite are produced annually in Zimbabwe, with Mutoko contributing 75 percent of that output, which is exported to countries such as China, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, South Africa and Germany.
Concerns have, however, been raised at the failure by players in the industry to add value to the stone before exporting it, for the country to earn increased revenue.
Meanwhile, Mabwe said the agency was concerned by artisanal miners who had become a menace in some parts of the province, particularly in Mudzi, Uzumba-Maramba-Pfungwe and Goromonzi districts.
“That remains a challenge and we routinely monitor their activities closely as they negatively contribute to environmental degradation. Some scavenge for gold as syndicates while some do it individually. They play hide and seek games with us but we continue to engage them together with our stakeholders such as the police and traditional leaders,” he said.
The government plans to register all artisanal miners in the country as part of efforts to formalize their operations, curb illegal gold dealing as well as protect the environment.