Artisanal and small-scale miners have launched a comprehensive mining strategy aimed at formalising operations, enhancing technical capacity, and positioning the sub-sector to fully participate in Zimbabwe’s beneficiation agenda, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Rudairo Mapuranga
The strategy, unveiled today at a high-level gathering in Gweru and officially opened by Minister of State for Midlands Province Hon Owen “Mudha” Ncube, is designed to align ASM activities with the government’s National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2) and Vision 2030 objectives. It focuses on improving safety standards, strengthening environmental compliance, and creating pathways for small-scale miners to transition from extraction to processing.
The strategic planning workshop that produced the new roadmap was convened by the Miners for Economic Development, bringing together mining stakeholders from across the country to chart a course for the sub-sector’s future, supporting Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 of 2026.
In his address declaring the workshop open, Hon Ncube underscored the importance of structured approaches to ASM development.
“This strategic planning workshop should repurpose the Miners for Economic Development strategic plan for 2026–2030 to be fit for purpose in discharging artisanal and small-scale mining operations, as we pursue a high-performance culture that promotes economic growth and competitiveness,” Hon Ncube said.
He highlighted the critical role of ASM in the national economy, noting that the sub-sector now supplies over 60 percent of Zimbabwe’s gold output and significantly impacts rural community livelihoods. The Minister also expressed unwavering support for stability and policy continuity that enable long-term mining investments to flourish.
Speaking at the same event, Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Development Hon Eng Fred Moyo described the initiative as a critical step toward bringing order and sustainability to ASM operations.
“This strategy speaks directly to formalisation,” Hon Eng Moyo said. “For too long, the artisanal and small-scale sub-sector has operated in the shadows. This roadmap provides a clear path for miners to regularise their operations, access technical support, and contribute meaningfully to national development.”
The Deputy Minister indicated that he would await the final document before offering detailed commentary but welcomed the initiative as a private sector-led response to the formalisation challenge.
A central pillar of the new strategy is the decentralisation of technical training to mining districts across the country. Recognising that a lack of skills has been a major barrier to ASM growth, the strategy prioritises partnerships with training institutions.
“We cannot process our minerals if we do not have the skills,” one miner involved in the strategy development noted. “This roadmap brings training to our districts, not just to Bulawayo or Harare, but to the communities where mining actually happens.”
The strategy envisions training-of-trainers programmes that create local capacity to impart technical knowledge, reducing the need for miners to travel to urban centres for basic skills development.
The roadmap also addresses the persistent challenges of unsafe working conditions and environmental degradation that have plagued the ASM sub-sector. Hon Ncube emphasised this point in his opening remarks, urging miners to adhere to responsible practices.
“I urge you all to adhere to responsible mining practices, as non-compliance poses challenges of exposure to unsafe working conditions, vandalism of public infrastructure, environmental degradation, and fatal conflicts,” he said.
By promoting responsible mining practices, the strategy aims to reduce accidents, protect water sources, and minimise the ecological footprint of small-scale operations.
The strategy explicitly aligns with the government’s recent decision to ban raw mineral exports, positioning ASM miners to participate in the beneficiation value chain rather than being left behind.
With Zimbabwe now requiring local processing of lithium and other minerals, small-scale miners must find ways to access processing facilities or form cooperatives that can achieve the scale needed for viable beneficiation. The new roadmap explores these options, including potential partnerships with larger mining houses and opportunities to supply feedstock to processing plants under construction.
Participants emphasised that the strategy is intended as a living document, to be refined through implementation and ongoing consultation with miners across the country.
“This is not a document that will sit on a shelf,” Miners for Economic Development Vice Chairman Phillimon Mokoele said. “It is a working roadmap that will guide our activities, our advocacy, and our engagement with government and industry partners over the next five years.”
With the formal launch now complete, the focus shifts to implementation: bringing training to districts, strengthening safety standards, and ensuring that Zimbabwe’s small-scale miners are not just diggers but participants in the country’s industrial future.
