The Ministry of Mines and Mining Development has extended to December 31, 2026, the deadline for mining rights holders with outstanding statutory obligations to regularise their operations, giving non-compliant operators a final window to bring their mining activities into line with the law, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Rudairo Mapuranga
In Public Notice No. 04/2026, the Ministry said the extension applies to mining rights holders regardless of scale who have outstanding statutory obligations.
The previous regularisation deadline had been set for August 30, 2026.
The Ministry has directed affected mining rights holders to immediately engage their respective Provincial Mining Offices to address outstanding requirements and settle all statutory obligations or obtain an approved payment plan.
They are also required to secure surveyed coordinates and complete any other outstanding regularisation requirements before the new deadline.
The Ministry urged rights holders not to wait until the final days of the extension, stressing that applications should be submitted and finalised well ahead of December 31.
The extension comes as Government steps up enforcement against mining operations that are operating outside the requirements of the Mines and Minerals Act [Chapter 21:05], particularly in the alluvial chrome sector.
The Ministry warned that failure to regularise mining rights by December 31, 2026, could result in forfeiture and/or other enforcement action in accordance with the law.
The move is expected to place renewed pressure on mining operators with outstanding statutory obligations to resolve their regulatory status, particularly as Government intensifies efforts to bring mining activities into the formal regulatory framework.
For operators with outstanding issues, the December deadline therefore represents an opportunity to regularise their operations before enforcement measures are triggered.
