Government to add 15 more gold centres before year end
Minister of Mines and Mining Development has announced that the government is adding 15 more gold centres before the end of 2020.
The Minister said this in an interview with a local paper in line with attaining the 12billion Mining Industry by 2023.
With the geology of the country making some gold deposits more amenable to small-scale mining operations as opposed to conglomerate mining, the Government also continues to explore ways to boost production in small scale gold mining.
It is against this background that the Government is now stepping up efforts to set up gold centres to facilitate the ease of doing business for small-scale miners and at least five of these are expected to start operating before the end of June. Fifteen more are expected to come into the stream before the end of the year.
“At the same time, Government is rolling out a total of 20 gold centres to facilitate and promote small scale production of gold whereby these gold centres will play a facilitatory role in the operations of small scale miners,” said Minister Chitando.
“The first five should be operational by June and the other 15 we are targeting November,” he said.
Gold buying
Fidelity Printers and Refiners (FPR) is licensed to buy gold from large scale producers, small scale producers, and holders of gold buying permits. The company has decentralised its buying activities from Harare to cover the entire country, thereby significantly reducing the security risks associated with transporting gold for the small scale sector. Gold delivered to the centres is paid for on the spot after carrying out a specific gravity determination of the gold content. The customer has an option to select the assay method for a particular deposit or the specific gravity method. However, if the miner opts for the fire assay method, payment will then be made after the analysis which is carried out at the Head Office in Harare.
The current Gold buying centres are:
| Name | Address | Phone | |
| Harare | No. 1 George Drive, Msasa | 263 242-486670, +263 242-486694, +263 242-487131, +263 242-447810-5 | [email protected] |
| Bulawayo | ZB Bank Fife Street Branch Corner 10th Ave/Fife st, Bulawayo | +263 292 880175/80, +263 292-883709/+263 292 68766 | [email protected] |
| Gwanda | ZB Bank Shop No 8 NSSA Complex | +263 284 2820957/ +263 775 215 272/+263 772 526 357 | [email protected] |
| Filabusi | Insiza RDC Offices, Stand 171B Mthwakazi | +263 775 215 437/+263 84 2801527/+263 777 137 481/+263 783 861 916 | [email protected] |
| Zvishavane | ZB Bank No 86 Robert Mugabe Way | +263 39 2353539/+263 772 455 741 | [email protected] |
| Gweru | ZB Bank No 69 Robert Mugabe Way | +263 54 2220328/ +263 774 700 231 | [email protected] |
| Kwekwe | ZB Bank No 90 Robert Mugabe Way | +263 55 2526084/+263 773 487 113 | [email protected] |
| Kadoma | ZB Bank No. 42 Robert Mugabe Street | +263 68 212004/+263 774 769 286 | [email protected] |
| Masvingo | ZB Bank No 39 Robert Mugabe Way | +263 39 22265288/+263 775 215 261 | [email protected] |
| Mutare | ZB Bank 88 Hebert Chitepo Street | +263 2061006/+263 775 215 259 | [email protected] |
| Bindura | ZB Bank No 28 Robert Mugabe Way | +263 66 2106854/+263 774 111 466 | [email protected] |
| Chinhoyi | ZB Bank No 47 Magamba Way | +263 67 2121010/+263 775 021 720 | [email protected] |