The small-scale mining sector is a crucial part of the Zimbabwean economy, as it provides work for millions of people across the country. However, these miners face many challenges, including limited access to finance, lack of infrastructure, and insecurity of tenure. In addition, the sector has been affected by heavy rains that hit the country in January and February of this year, resulting in decreased production.
In response to these challenges, the government has set aside 5 million dollars to help small-scale miners.
Mines and Mining Development Minister Hon Winston Chitando said the funds will be used to capacitate the miners by providing training, infrastructure, and equipment.
“Looking at the current production in 2023, gold producers have delivered a total of 8.57 tonnes of gold to Fidelity Gold Refinery (FGR) for the period January to April 2023, a 15.77% decrease from last year’s production of 10.17 tonnes during the same period. The decreased gold production from small-scale miners, the major contributors of gold delivered to Fidelity Gold Refinery, in January and February was mainly due to heavy rains and they spent the period dewatering shafts. As a way to mitigate this challenge, the Government of Zimbabwe has set aside USD5
Million towards capacitation of small-scale miners. The decrease in production was also due to power cuts and the
The government has set aside USD5 Million towards the establishment of gold service centres,” Minister Chitando said.
The support will go a long way in addressing the challenges that small-scale miners face, including access to markets, finance, and equipment. It will also promote sustainable mining practices, as small-scale miners will be trained on best practices to reduce the environmental impact of their activities.
Small-scale mining is an important sector in Zimbabwe, and with the right support, it has the potential to contribute significantly to the country’s economic development.
