The Ministry of Mines and Mining Development is seeking to improve access to geological information to help prospective miners and investors identify mineral deposits, direct exploration towards promising areas and bring new discoveries into production, as Government looks to unlock more value from Zimbabwe’s mineral resources, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Ryan Chigoche
Speaking at the official opening of the Ministry’s 2027 Strategic Planning Workshop in Kadoma on Wednesday, Permanent Secretary Dr Thomas Utete Wushe called on the Zimbabwe Geological Survey (ZGS) and other relevant departments to make geological information available to people looking to explore the country’s mineral potential.
Wushe said the information should help prospective miners identify areas where they could undertake exploration and establish new mining operations, rather than having to start the search without access to existing geological knowledge.
“Let’s make information available for people to know where possibly they can go and start discovering their new mine minerals so that they can quickly get into production,” he said.
The emphasis on geological data reflects the importance of exploration in sustaining Zimbabwe’s mining industry beyond its established producing areas. Although the country has a wide range of known mineral deposits, identifying new commercially viable resources requires reliable geological information to guide exploration and reduce the uncertainty associated with committing capital to an area.
The Zimbabwe Geological Survey is mandated to map the country’s geology, generate information on mineral resource potential, maintain geological records and provide technical advice on mineral exploration. Its work is therefore central to helping investors and miners understand the geological characteristics of prospective areas before undertaking more costly exploration programmes.
However, the availability and modernisation of that information remain important considerations for the sector. A paper presented at the Geological Society of Zimbabwe’s 2025 Summer Symposium noted that the country’s last national geological map dated back to 1977, highlighting the need for updated geological datasets and more accessible exploration information. The paper also identified open geoscience data as one of the measures needed to promote systematic mineral exploration and attract investment.
Government has also been moving towards updating the country’s geological information through a planned national airborne geophysical survey, which is expected to resume in 2027 after being deferred from its earlier timetable. The survey is intended to improve understanding of the country’s mineral potential and help identify areas that warrant further exploration.
The latest call by Wushe therefore adds an access and utilisation dimension to those efforts: generating geological information is only part of the process; making it available to the people and companies capable of using it is equally important.
For smaller miners in particular, access to geological advice and existing information can help narrow down prospective areas before committing limited resources to fieldwork. For larger exploration companies, reliable regional data can inform decisions on where to undertake detailed surveys and drilling.
Wushe said the Ministry’s workshop was intended to produce a clear programme of work for the coming year, with progress measured against specific deliverables.
“The purpose of our workshop here is for us to go into 2027 with a very clear action plan, an annual plan that is measured at the end of 2027,” he said.
The challenge for the Ministry will be to translate the commitment into practical improvements in the availability of geological information, enabling more exploration activity and helping move promising mineral prospects towards development.
