A transformative initiative to provide artisanal and small-scale miners with professional geological exploration services has been announced, aiming to turn informal claims into bankable resources that can attract investment and support Zimbabwe’s beneficiation agenda, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Rudairo Mapuranga
The announcement comes as Betterbrands Gold prepares for the official opening of its new gold refinery in Bulawayo, with all systems ready for the facility’s inauguration. The refinery represents a significant strategic expansion for the company, transitioning from gold trading to full-scale processing capacity.
Presenting at the Miners for Economic Development strategic planning workshop in Gweru, Betterbrands Gold CEO Fradrick Kunaka outlined plans to deploy a team of geologists to work directly with ASM operators, helping them develop the technical data needed to prove the value of their mining claims.
“We are going to have a team of geologists to do exploration so that miners will have a bankable resource,” Kunaka told the gathering. “We will put it in writing. It will be a full blueprint.”
Kunaka emphasised that the initiative is designed to be grounded in the realities miners face on the ground, drawing on their direct experience to shape practical solutions.
“You are on the ground and you know the challenges. Let us be practical. We are open to progressive ideas so that we will have a framework that will guide us. Any ideas that can be spread at the national level will be good in terms of how things are done,” he said.
The exploration initiative recognises that one of the biggest barriers ASM miners face is the inability to prove the value of their resources to potential investors, lenders, or partners. Without professional geological data, claims remain speculative, limiting access to financing and preventing miners from fully participating in the beneficiation value chain.
Kunaka also addressed the importance of structured membership in ensuring the initiative’s success.
“An association is in a better standing for vetting miners who are local, and they should be members who are local subscribers. A person who cannot subscribe to the association is more likely to default,” he said.
This approach positions miners’ associations as gatekeepers and guarantors, ensuring that those who benefit from the exploration services are committed, compliant members of the formal mining community.
The announcement drew immediate praise from mining stakeholders who have long advocated for professional exploration support.
Phillimon Mokoele, Vice Chairman for Technical Mining at Miners for Economic Development and ZIMSHEC representative, expressed strong support.
“Betterbrands, we have been asking for exploration. We thank you for coming with it,” Mokoele said. “It will make our claims bankable. I have been saying this, and I’m happy the idea is now being put into practice.”
Wilson T. Manase of Manase and Manase Legal Practitioners urged the organisers to move quickly from planning to execution.
“We are asking you to implement it as fast as possible. Can you implement that as soon as possible? Help the miners, and they will support the refinery,” Manase said.
His reference to “support the refinery” highlights the connection between exploration and beneficiation: processing plants need assured feedstock, which depends on miners having proven, bankable resources. Exploration is the foundation upon which the entire beneficiation agenda rests.
The exploration initiative aligns directly with the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), which explicitly prioritises strengthening geological mapping and mineral resource evaluation as foundations for sustainable mining development.
By bringing professional geological services to the ASM level, the initiative helps operationalise NDS2’s vision of a mining sector that is not only productive but also well-characterised, properly valued, and positioned for long-term growth.
Kunaka’s promise of a “full blueprint” suggests that the initiative will be documented and systematised, creating a model that can be replicated across mining districts.
For ASM miners who have long operated with limited technical support, the prospect of professional exploration services represents a significant step toward formalisation and inclusion in Zimbabwe’s broader mining industrialisation drive.
With geological teams set to be deployed, a framework for member vetting under development, and strong backing from industry leaders, the Betterbrands exploration initiative could mark a turning point for Zimbabwe’s artisanal and small-scale miners—moving them from speculation to certainty, from informal claims to bankable assets, and from the margins to the mainstream of the country’s mining future.
