Zimbabwe needs a more structured approach to safety and regulatory compliance where large-scale mining (LSM) operations interact with artisanal and small-scale miners (ASM), Prof. Alfred Chinyere, General Manager at Mutapa Gold Resources’ Bindura operation, popularly known as Freda Rebecca Gold Mine, has said.
By Rudairo Mapuranga
Chinyere made the remarks during the second session of the Association of Mine Managers Zimbabwe (AMMZ) and Zimbabwe School of Mines (ZSM) Mine Managers’ Bench webinar series held on Wednesday, 30 September 2026.
The session, which focused on “Regulatory Compliance & Statutory Responsibility of Mine Managers,” brought together mine managers, government officials, SHEQ professionals and mining engineers.
Chinyere’s presentation, titled “Managing Safety Compliance in LSM-ASM Collaborations,” focused on the regulatory and operational challenges arising where formal large-scale mining operations interact with ASM activity.
He argued that conventional mine safety systems are generally designed around controlled operations within established mining areas, while interactions with ASM can introduce additional and changing risks requiring a broader management approach.
Chinyere called for safety requirements to be incorporated into operational planning, risk management and inspection systems, with clear accountability extending through mining management structures.
He said management systems should provide defined responsibilities and repeatable controls rather than relying primarily on individual initiative.
A major part of his presentation centred on moving away from approaches that treat LSM and ASM as completely separate activities and towards structured forms of cooperation.
Under the approach outlined by Chinyere, large-scale mining companies could contribute capital, technical expertise, equipment and processing infrastructure, while ASM operators continue participating in ore extraction within a regulated framework.
He stressed that such arrangements should not seek to turn ASM operators into miniature large-scale mining companies, but should instead address gaps in technical capacity, safety and processing while maintaining their commercial participation.
Chinyere cited the Magaya Model as one example, involving centralised processing supported by a large-scale mining partner, with ASM operators extracting ore while benefiting from equipment, training and access to controlled processing facilities.
He also discussed an approach associated with Mutapa Gold Resources, which he presented as a registration and structuring model intended to bring existing ASM activity into a more formal framework while creating a controlled platform for participation.
Chinyere also called for greater consideration of the different capacities of mining operators when applying regulatory requirements.
He proposed a move towards what he described as “proportionate compliance”, while emphasising that this should not mean lowering safety or environmental standards.
The approach would instead provide ASM operators with a progressive pathway towards meeting regulatory, safety and environmental requirements.
Chinyere further identified capacity building as a key component of formalisation, pointing to training in areas including mine planning, financial management and legal compliance.
On regulation, he called for a review of Statutory Instrument 109 of 1990, arguing during the presentation that some existing safety requirements can be difficult for smaller operators to implement because of differences in technical and financial capacity.
He stressed that regulatory reform should strengthen, rather than weaken, safety and environmental protection.
Chinyere also proposed the establishment of an LSM-ASM Safety and Environmental Collaboration Platform, potentially coordinated through the Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe, which could provide a mechanism for developing minimum safety benchmarks and sharing information on incidents and risks.
The discussion formed part of the broader Mine Managers’ Bench programme, which provides a platform for mining professionals to examine regulatory compliance, operational management and statutory responsibilities within Zimbabwe’s mining industry.
Other contributors to the session included Eng. Michael J. Munodawafa from the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, Gift T. Mapakame, President of AMMZ, Dr Posani Maveza of Impact Plus and Eng. Elton Gwatidzo of AMMZ.
