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There is a particular silence that falls over a room when the person who has been shouting the loudest is asked to produce a document.

By Namatirai Ruzvidzo

I once attended a meeting about a mining dispute in which two men were claiming the same piece of ground. One came armed with confidence. He had a booming voice, a large group of relatives behind him, and a very detailed memory of what had allegedly happened over the years. He remembered who had paid for pegging, who had brought the first excavator, who had promised what, and who had later betrayed whom. His version of events was delivered with such energy that, for a moment, even I almost believed he had won the case.

Across the table sat the other miner. He was quieter. He had no entourage, no speeches and no appetite for an argument. In front of him was a faded blue file, held together by an elastic band that had clearly seen better days. Inside it were his mining certificate, renewal receipts, correspondence, a signed agreement, photographs of the site taken over time, delivery records and copies of payments. His file was not glamorous. It would certainly not win any awards for interior design. But it did something far more important: it told a clear story.

By the end of the meeting, the loudest man had become the most uncomfortable man in the room.

That moment has remained with me because it captures a lesson every miner should understand – in a dispute, the person with the best records is often already halfway to protecting the mine. Loud arguments may attract attention. Documents carry weight.

A mine is not merely a hole in the ground, a plant and a promising mineral belt. It is a business held together by rights, obligations, relationships, money and evidence. If those things are not recorded properly, the mine becomes vulnerable to a rival claimant, investor, inspection or family dispute.

Zimbabwe’s mining framework is built around mining rights, regulatory approvals and official records. Environmental compliance is regulated separately, which means a miner must be able to demonstrate both title and compliance with the obligations of operating. A good mine file is not a luxury for large companies. It protects every miner, including the small-scale operator who believes the operation is too modest for “all that paperwork.”

The story your mine file must be able to tell

Imagine that you are away from the mine for one week. During that week, a potential investor visits, an EMA officer arrives, a relative claims that the mine belongs to the estate, or a neighbouring claimant alleges that you have crossed the boundary. Could someone open one file and understand the full story of your operation?

That is the test.

Your mine file should answer five basic questions without drama, who owns or controls the mining right? What agreements are in place? What has happened at the mine? What money and equipment are involved? Have the legal and operational obligations been met? If the answer to any of these questions is hidden in a former employee’s phone, a WhatsApp group, a drawer at home or the memory of a relative, then the mine is exposed.

The first part of the file should deal with the mining title and compliance. Keep the mining certificate, prospecting documents where relevant, plans and coordinates, inspection certificates, renewal records, official receipts, transfer documents, correspondence from the Provincial Mining Director, and copies of any notices that affect the claim. Do not assume that because you have seen the original once, it will always be available when you need it. Make certified or clear copies. Scan them. Keep a secure digital backup. If your mine is held through a company, include the company documents, shareholding records, board resolutions and the authority of the person who signs agreements on behalf of the company.

This is not administrative neatness. A miner may be confident that he owns a claim, but confidence is not proof. A title dispute is not resolved by saying, “Everyone in the area knows this is my mine.” It is resolved through certificates, coordinates, official records, payments and a clear history of how the right was acquired and maintained.

The second part of the file should contain every agreement connected to the mine. This is where many miners get into trouble. They have a sponsor, a tribute partner, an investor, a plant owner, a transporter, an ore buyer, a landowner, or a cousin who “helps with the finances.” Yet no one can say exactly what was agreed.

A signed agreement should exist for every relationship that has the potential to affect the mine. It may be a Joint Venture agreement, a tribute agreement, a sponsorship or funding agreement, a toll-treatment agreement, an equipment lease, an offtake agreement, a labour arrangement or a surface-access agreement. The agreement should be signed, dated and complete. Keep the final signed version, not just the draft that was circulated on WhatsApp at midnight. If the agreement was amended, keep the amendment too.

More importantly, do not keep only the contract. Keep the evidence of performance. If the investor promised to bring a plant, keep delivery notes, photographs, invoices and serial numbers. If the mine owner promised to contribute ore or a claim, keep proof that the claim was valid and proof of the ore supplied. If profits are to be split, keep the production records and payment confirmations that show whether the deal is being honoured. A contract tells the court what people intended. The records show what they actually did.

The mine diary: your quietest witness

One of the most useful records a miner can keep is also one of the simplest: a daily mine diary.

This does not require a complicated computer system. A bound book, consistently maintained, can be powerful. Record who was on site, what work was done, what ore moved, what production occurred, who visited and what unusual incident took place. If a truck removes ore, record the date, registration, driver, destination, tonnage and authority for its removal. Record breakdowns, thefts, accidents, disputes and official visits while the memory is fresh.

The diary becomes especially valuable when someone later says, “That never happened.” It can be compared with dispatch records, weighbridge tickets, invoices, photographs and messages. It shows a pattern of operation and can rebut an accusation that you abandoned the claim or quietly surrendered control.

Production records deserve particular attention. Keep assay reports, sample records, milling returns, gold delivery receipts, weighbridge tickets, ore dispatch records, invoices, purchase orders and proof of payment. If your mine sends ore to a custom mill, do not accept vague verbal reports about recovery. Insist on written milling statements. Record the grade sent, the tonnage received, the output recovered, the deductions made and the money paid. A miner who does not know what left the mine cannot honestly know what the mine earned.

This is where many sponsorship disputes begin. The sponsor says more ore was extracted than the mine owner recorded. The owner says the plant operator under-reported recovery. The labour force says deductions were invented. Everyone has a story; no one has a complete record. Profitability disappears into argument.

The same principle applies to equipment. Keep a register of every major asset at the mine. Record the make, model, serial number, condition, owner, date brought on site and the agreement under which it is used. Take photographs when it arrives. Keep invoices, registration documents and maintenance records. This is crucial where an investor or sponsor brings a plant to the mine. The fact that equipment sits on your claim does not automatically make it yours. Conversely, the fact that an investor paid for equipment does not automatically give that investor ownership of your mining right. The agreement and the records must make the distinction clear.

Do not let mobile messaging become your entire legal department

Mobile messaging applications have helped mining businesses. They are fast and convenient, but they can also become a legal disaster.

Many miners negotiate substantial transactions through messages. They agree to percentages, send photographs of output, authorise payments and make promises they later regret. Then, when the relationship collapses, a party deletes messages, changes phones or leaves the group. A deal worth thousands of dollars is reduced to a screenshot without date, context or explanation.

Use mobile messaging applications, but do not rely on them alone. Reduce important terms to properly signed documentation. Confirm material instructions by email, letter or signed site instruction. Back up key chats and preserve the original conversation. Never alter screenshots, manufacture messages or backdate documents. A poor record can be repaired through honesty and proper advice; a fabricated record can destroy an otherwise good case.

Photographs and videos are equally useful when used properly. Take clear, dated images of boundary markers, equipment, stockpiles, access roads, damage, environmental controls and plant installation. Keep the original files where possible. If a photograph is important, note when it was taken, where it was taken and what it shows. A photograph of a bulldozer is not very helpful if no one can say when it arrived, whose bulldozer it was or why it was on the site.

When a dispute begins, create a chronology. Start from the beginning and list the important dates: when the claim was acquired, when the agreement was signed, when money changed hands, when equipment arrived, when production began, when a complaint was made and what response followed. Attach the supporting document beside each event. This exercise is remarkably powerful. It helps your lawyer understand the matter quickly, reveals gaps in the story, and prevents the confusion that comes when a miner tries to remember three years of events while under pressure.

One file, four different emergencies

The beauty of a mine file is that it protects you in more than one situation.

In a dispute with a rival claimant, your title documents, coordinates, official receipts, site photographs and chronology may show that your operation has been lawful, continuous and clearly defined. In an investor audit, those same documents show that the mine is not merely a story but a business capable of being evaluated. A serious investor does not invest in enthusiasm alone. They want to see title, production, obligations, liabilities and records that can be tested.

During a regulatory inspection, the same file allows you to produce the relevant certificates, environmental documents, correspondence, safety records and evidence of efforts to comply. It does not guarantee that an inspector will find no problem. But it demonstrates that you are an operator who takes compliance seriously and can respond properly.

In a family conflict or estate matter, the file may be the difference between continuity and chaos. When a mine owner dies or becomes ill, the family must be able to identify the claim, the agreements, the equipment, the debts, the workers and the obligations. A mine cannot be protected by a sentence such as, “My children know about it.” Children often know that a mine exists. They may not know where the certificate is, whether a sponsor is owed money, whether the plant belongs to the mine, or whether the claim was renewed.

The mine file is therefore not just for a dispute. It is an operational manual for the people who must protect the mine when you are absent.

In conclusion: Start before there is a problem

The best time to build your mine file is not after a rival has lodged a complaint. It is not when a lawyer is urgently asking for documents, an investor is waiting for due diligence, or an inspector is standing at the gate. By then, panic usually takes over.

Begin simply. Set aside one physical file and one secure digital folder. During the first week, collect your mining title and compliance documents. During the second week, gather every agreement and arrange them by date. Then add your production, equipment, payment, environmental and communication records. Create a short index at the front. Keep it current. Once a month, take thirty minutes to file new records. That half-hour may one day save years of litigation.

The miner with the blue file did not win because he was louder, richer or more connected. He was protected because he had taken the quiet work of record keeping seriously. His documents did not argue. They did not insult anyone. They simply told the truth in an orderly way, and in mining, as in law, the truth is far more persuasive when you can put it on the table.

 Namatirai Ruzvidzo is a registered Legal Practitioner, Conveyancer and Notary Public. She possesses over 15 years of experience specialising in Commercial law, Mining law and Property law. She practices in Avondale, Harare, under the Law Firm Ruzvidzo Legal Counsel. She can be reached on +263 784 228 534 or email at [email protected], copying [email protected]

This article provides general information, not legal advice for a particular dispute. A miner facing a complaint, title challenge, inspection or suspected evidence loss should obtain advice promptly and preserve the original records.

Four young members of the Young Miners Foundation (YMF) are undergoing specialized gemstone cutting and processing training in Zambia as the organization seeks to address skills gaps that have limited Zimbabwe’s ability to capture more value from its gemstones, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Ryan Chigoche

The five-week program is being conducted at the Gemstone Processing and Lapidary Training Centre (GPLTC) in Ndola and is sponsored by the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ), with YMF facilitating the participation of its members.

The participants were selected based on their technical aptitude, commitment to completing the program, and potential to use the skills gained to develop businesses, create employment, and contribute to value addition in Zimbabwe’s gemstone sector.

The training comes as Zimbabwe’s colored-gemstone industry remains largely underdeveloped, with limited capacity for cutting, polishing, grading, and other downstream activities leaving much of the potential value of the country’s stones outside the domestic economy.

That gap is what YMF is seeking to address through the Zambia program, which gives young miners access to specialized equipment and practical techniques that can be applied to gemstone processing when they return home.

Speaking to Mining Zimbabwe, YMF Chief Executive Officer Payne Farai Kupfuwa said the organisation viewed beneficiation as the central objective of the program.

“Through this gemstone cutting and polishing training in Zambia, YMF hopes to close Zimbabwe’s biggest gap in the gemstone value chain: beneficiation,” Kupfuwa said.

“For too long, we have exported raw stones at commodity prices and imported finished jewellery at premium prices. That model exports jobs and imports poverty.”

The potential economic return from developing those capabilities locally is significant, with more of the value generated from gemstones potentially retained through businesses, employment, and foreign-exchange earnings.

Kupfuwa said the difference could be substantial once a rough stone is cut and certified.

“A rough tourmaline or aquamarine exported raw might fetch $10. The same stone, cut and certified, can fetch $200+. Those 20x gains stay in Zimbabwe as wages, businesses, and forex,” he said.

Beyond the value of individual stones, Kupfuwa said developing local expertise could also strengthen Zimbabwe’s position with international buyers.

“The skills gained by participants will directly contribute to Zimbabwe’s gemstone industry by increasing value addition, creating decent jobs for youth and women, and improving our credibility in global markets. When buyers trust our cutting and certification, we get top dollar,” he said.

Those objectives are being pursued through intensive practical training covering several stages of gemstone processing.

The five-week program includes gemology, gemstone identification, cabochon making, tumbling, faceting, bead making, pre-forming, calibration, cutting, and polishing.

Participants are also receiving hands-on training on faceting machines, trim saws, polishing laps, diamond testers, and other gemological equipment.

For Aminah Ndlovu, 22, the program represents a further step in a path that has already taken her from training into the gemstone business.

Ndlovu, a resource person in YMF’s Gemstone and Lapidary Unit and a director at Ruzhowa Lapidary Resources, previously completed a Gemstone Cutting and Polishing course at the Zimbabwe School of Mines in December 2025. The program was also sponsored by MMCZ.

She said the earlier training contributed to the establishment of four lapidary companies, including Ruzhowa.

That experience has given Ndlovu a direct connection to the potential business impact of the skills now being developed in Zambia.

The latest program is being held at GPLTC, a public technical and vocational institution specializing in gemstone processing, giving participants access to equipment and facilities dedicated to the sector.

“The training in Zambia complements Zimbabwe’s efforts to build capacity in gemstones, but it differs mainly in terms of equipment and institutional focus,” Ndlovu said.

She said the specialised nature of the centre was allowing participants to spend more time working directly with industry equipment.

“Because the training is at Gemstone Processing and Lapidary Training Centre (GPLTC), a certified institution focused only on gemstones, we are able to practice daily on the actual equipment used in the industry,” she said.

That hands-on exposure includes bead making, tumbling, and the use of diamond-testing equipment and other lapidary machinery, alongside training in preparing rough stones for cutting and producing finished stones to standard sizes for jewellery settings.

The experience is expected to give the participants skills they can take back into Zimbabwe’s emerging lapidary industry.

Ndlovu plans to share the knowledge gained in Zambia with other young miners and colleagues involved in lapidary businesses, extending the training beyond the four participants.

For YMF, that skills transfer is part of a wider ambition to develop a pool of gemologists, lapidarists, and jewellery designers capable of supporting a stronger domestic gemstone-processing industry.

Kupfuwa said the skills pipeline could eventually support the establishment of a Gemstone Cutting, Processing and Lapidary Centre in Zimbabwe.

The immediate test, however, will be whether the skills acquired in Ndola can be converted into viable businesses and processing capacity when the trainees return home.

The Zambia program gives the four young miners exposure to a specialised gemstone-processing environment, while YMF hopes the knowledge gained will help expand local participation in the stages of the value chain where gemstones acquire greater commercial value.

Zimbabwe is set to become an increasingly important player in the global lithium market as new production from emerging suppliers erodes the dominance of Australia, China, and Chile over the next decade, according to BMI, a Fitch Solutions company, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Ryan Chigoche

BMI expects the combined share of the three leading lithium producers to decline between 2026 and 2035 as output expands in newer markets, including Zimbabwe and Argentina.

The shift could strengthen Zimbabwe’s position in the global lithium industry as the country joins a growing group of emerging producers expected to contribute a larger share of world supply in the coming years.

BMI said Zimbabwe could pave the way for the advancement of lithium mining in Africa, while Argentina’s outlook is also improving as several major projects move into operation.

Zimbabwe’s emergence as a larger lithium producer is being supported by rising production capacity and investment in local processing. Producers including Huayou Cobalt at Arcadia and Sinomine Resource Group at Bikita have invested in processing facilities as Zimbabwe pushes to capture more value from its lithium resources. The expansion of these operations, alongside further investment in beneficiation plants, provides a platform for Zimbabwe to increase its contribution to global supply, reinforcing BMI’s view that newer producers will gain a larger share of the lithium market over the coming decade.

That expansion, however, is coming at a time when the lithium market is facing a delicate balance between rising supply and resilient demand.

BMI has raised its 2026 price forecasts to $20,100 a tonne for mainland Chinese lithium carbonate and $19,600/t for lithium hydroxide monohydrate, reflecting strong upward price momentum during the first half of the year.

The research firm expects prices to ease during the second half, although continued demand from the energy-storage market is expected to limit the downside and prevent a major market correction.

That resilience is important for emerging producers such as Zimbabwe, but BMI cautions that prices remain vulnerable to a build-up in supply.

“Prices are likely to be caught in a tug-of-war between oversupply worries dampening bullish sentiment and solid demand-side fundamentals, with the balance of risks skewed to the downside as we continue to view current prices as elevated beyond what fundamentals alone would justify,” BMI said.

The supply outlook reinforces that concern. BMI expects global lithium production to increase 13.2% this year, driven mainly by Australia and China.

While higher production from established producers could add to supply pressures, the recovery in lithium prices could also encourage the restart of higher-cost operations, particularly in Australia.

At the same time, higher energy costs and a possible sulfur shortage could put pressure on miners’ margins, creating a more challenging operating environment across the industry.

Against that expanding supply base, demand is still expected to grow, although at a much slower pace.

BMI forecasts global lithium demand to increase 5.8% this year, down sharply from the 18.5% growth recorded in 2025.

The slowdown is also reflected in the electric-vehicle market, with global passenger EV sales forecast to rise 3.9% in 2026, compared with growth of 22.8% last year and 24% in 2024.

Even with that moderation, BMI expects energy storage to remain a key source of lithium demand and provide some support for prices.

Battery technology is reinforcing that demand trend. BMI expects lithium carbonate to maintain a premium over lithium hydroxide as lithium-iron-phosphate battery adoption continues to increase.

LFP batteries now account for more than half of electric vehicle batteries and more than 90% of battery-energy-storage applications, according to BMI.

China remains central to that demand story. New domestic new-energy vehicle sales rose 23.6% year-on-year and 9.8% month-on-month in June to 1.6 million units, while NEV penetration reached 58.5% of total new-vehicle sales for a third consecutive month, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

BMI said NEV penetration has now surpassed 50% of new passenger-car sales, signalling that China’s market is moving from a period of rapid expansion toward greater maturity as purchase incentives are withdrawn and broader structural pressures emerge.

Outside China, however, higher fuel prices linked to the conflict in the Middle East could provide an upside risk to lithium demand by encouraging consumers to shift toward more fuel-efficient powertrains, including EVs, plug-in hybrids, and hybrids.

How far that translates into a sustained change in consumer behaviour will be important for lithium producers, including emerging suppliers such as Zimbabwe.

While demand provides some support to the market, BMI sees longer-term technological developments as another potential source of pressure on lithium prices.

Advances in battery chemistry could result in batteries using less lithium or no lithium at all, while improvements in battery recycling could significantly expand the supply of recovered material.

For Zimbabwe, those competing forces will shape the opportunity presented by its emergence as a new lithium-producing market.

BMI’s forecast that Australia, China, and Chile will lose market share over 2026 to 2035 suggests that the global lithium industry is becoming more geographically diverse, with Zimbabwe and Argentina among the newer markets expected to increase their contribution.

BMI said Argentina’s lithium sector has promising growth prospects as several pivotal projects begin operations, while Zimbabwe could help pave the way for further development of lithium mining in Africa in the coming years.

The Nyamugwapare River, once an important source of water for communities in Machipisa Village, is now flowing at only a fraction of what residents say they remember, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Rudairo Mapuranga

For women living along its banks, the decline has brought practical consequences: gardening has become difficult, washing clothes is harder, and fishing, once a source of food and occasional income, has largely disappeared.

Residents associate the changes with mining activity in the area, where two lithium mining operations are currently operating in the village.

But while community members blame mining for the deterioration of the river, questions remain over the extent to which mining activities are contributing to the changes, and whether measures put in place by operators are adequately preventing mine waste and sediment from reaching the waterway.

‘We used to have water all year round’

“We used to have water all year round. Now the river has no water,” Ester Kapondoro told Mining Zimbabwe.

Kapondoro said the decline had disrupted activities that previously depended on the river.

“Gardening is difficult. Washing is now difficult. We are suffering,” she said.

For women in Machipisa, the river’s condition is more than an environmental concern. It affects household work and activities that once helped families produce food.

Another woman, who asked not to be identified, said the quality of the water had also become a concern.

“Laundry is now a nightmare because the water is dirty and leaves our clothes stained,” she said.

She also said fishing had become increasingly difficult.

“Fishing, which used to supplement our diets and provide a small income, is no longer possible. The fish are gone,” she said.

Mining and the river

The concerns come as mining activity expands in the village.

Benson Mine is among the operations working in the area, with mining activity taking place in close proximity to the Nyamugwapare River.

Mining Zimbabwe previously raised the issue of the river’s proximity to mining operations with Benson Mine Assistant Mine Manager Chengetai Zimhondi.

Zimhondi said engineering measures had been put in place to prevent material from the mining operation from reaching the river.

The mine’s position, therefore, is that its engineering controls are designed to keep mining material away from the waterway.

However, during a visit to the area, mining-related sand and stone material could be seen in and along sections of the Nyamugwapare River.

Video footage taken during the visit also shows the material in proximity to the river.

The observation does not, on its own, establish the source of the material or prove that it has caused contamination of the river. It does, however, raise questions about whether the measures described by the mine are working as intended.

Those questions are particularly important for communities that rely on the river for household and livelihood activities.

A burden that falls heavily on women

The deterioration of local water sources has a particularly significant impact on women because they often carry much of the responsibility for household water collection and domestic work.

Takaitei Bote, a communications representative for ActionAid Zimbabwe, said the impact of mining on women should not be treated as an issue affecting women alone.

“What affects women largely affects the community,” Bote said.

Her comments reflect a wider concern among civil society organisations that the social costs of mining are often felt most directly by communities whose livelihoods depend on land and natural resources.

In communities where water becomes scarce or difficult to access, women can face an increased burden as they try to maintain household activities while also finding alternative sources of water.

The unanswered questions

The condition of the Nyamugwapare raises questions that extend beyond the experiences of individual households:

• If mining operations are located close to the river, what safeguards are in place to prevent sediment, waste rock, and other mining material from entering the waterway?

• Are those safeguards being regularly inspected?

• Where residents report changes in water quality and river flow, has independent water-quality testing been conducted to establish what is actually happening?

These questions are particularly important because visible material in a river does not by itself establish chemical contamination. Determining whether the water is contaminated — and identifying the source — requires proper environmental and water-quality assessment.

For residents, however, the concern is immediate.

They are already dealing with a river they say no longer provides what it once did.

Benson Mine asked to respond

Mining Zimbabwe approached Benson Mine for comment on the concerns raised by residents and the proximity of mining activities to the Nyamugwapare River.

The acting mine manager referred questions to the mine manager.

The mine’s earlier position, as communicated by Assistant Mine Manager Chengetai Zimhondi, was that engineering measures had been put in place to prevent mining material from reaching the river.

The company had not provided a further response to the specific concerns raised by residents by the time of publication.

A river caught between development and dependence

The Nyamugwapare is not simply a watercourse to the women of Machipisa Village.

It has been part of their daily lives — providing water for household activities, supporting gardens, and contributing to food security.

Now, residents are watching the river change as mining activity expands around them.

For Kapondoro and other women in the village, the question is not whether mining should take place.

It is whether mineral development can proceed without leaving communities to bear the environmental and social costs.

“We are suffering,” Kapondoro said.

For the women of Machipisa, the future of the Nyamugwapare is therefore inseparable from their own.

Kamativi Mining Company (KMC) has urged policymakers to take individual mine economics and resource life into account when implementing Zimbabwe’s beneficiation policies, warning that ambitious processing requirements must be matched by the geological realities of each operation, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Rudairo Mapuranga

KMC Chief Operating Officer Turkey Liang made the remarks while appearing before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Mining Development, chaired by Hon. Remigious Matangira, during the committee’s fact-finding visit to the company’s Kamativi operation.

Liang said KMC fully supports the Government’s drive to end the export of unprocessed minerals and increase value addition, but cautioned that mines do not have identical resource profiles and therefore may not have the same capacity to sustain large-scale processing investments.

“We fully understand and firmly support the policy direction,” Liang said, “but a decision should be made first of all on the basis of a comprehensive study of each mine’s resource position.”

The comments highlight a key challenge facing Zimbabwe’s beneficiation strategy: ensuring that mandatory local processing creates sustainable value without imposing investments that may be difficult to justify over the life of a particular mineral resource.

Kamativi’s geological profile is central to the company’s concerns.

The former tin mine, which ceased production in 1994 after 58 years of operation, has since been revived as a lithium operation. KMC’s current mining plan faces a high stripping ratio and increasingly limited surface resources, with Liang telling the committee that open-pit reserves are expected to support approximately five years of mining.

He said the broader lithium resource at the current mining depths could support operations for about 10 years, after which further extraction would become more technically challenging and potentially require underground mining.

The distinction is important for a company investing heavily in downstream processing. A processing plant requires a reliable supply of feedstock over a sufficiently long period to justify its capital cost.

KMC’s resource estimate, updated in May 2024, places its indicated mineral resource at about 24.2 million tonnes grading 1.25 per cent Li₂O. The company has been developing additional processing capacity as it seeks to capture more value from the resource.

Despite the resource concerns, KMC is moving ahead with major downstream investments.

The company is developing a lithium sulphate project with an investment of about US$200 million. The project is designed to process spodumene concentrate into lithium sulphate, with planned production of about 75,000 tonnes a year and commissioning targeted for July 2027.

The development is part of Zimbabwe’s broader push to move beyond the export of lithium concentrates and capture more value domestically. KMC’s project has also been cited as an example of the country’s drive to establish a local lithium processing chain.

For KMC, however, the question is not whether beneficiation should take place, but how the policy can be implemented in a way that reflects the realities of individual mining operations.

KMC is also pursuing further recovery of minerals contained in its pegmatite resource.

The company is developing a Tin-Niobium-Tantalum Separation Project as well as an Amblygonite Concentrate Separation Project. An additional tin, niobium, and tantalum recovery system is scheduled for commissioning in September 2026.

The projects are intended to improve recovery of minerals beyond lithium and potentially increase the economic value extracted from the same resource.

The Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance has also identified KMC’s proposed lithium sulphate, tin-tantalum-niobium recovery, and amblygonite separation projects as part of its assessment of the Kamativi operation.

Alongside geological constraints, Liang told the committee that regulatory and administrative delays have created operational difficulties.

He cited changes in Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) export documentation requirements, saying a shift from a system allowing one document to cover up to 50 trucks to a requirement for individual paperwork for each truck created significant delays.

The problem was particularly severe where officials lacked sufficient personnel and printing capacity to process the increased volume of documentation.

“In March this year, because of this policy change, we were running out of cash and planning to reduce production,” Liang said.

ZIMRA has since reverted to the previous 50-truck arrangement, according to Liang.

The episode illustrates another challenge for mining companies investing in capital-intensive processing projects: while geological and market risks are inherent to mining, sudden administrative changes can also affect cash flow and production decisions.

Zimbabwe’s beneficiation drive is designed to retain more mineral value inside the country by encouraging or requiring producers to establish domestic processing capacity. The lithium sector has already committed significant capital to processing projects, with KMC among the companies developing lithium sulphate capacity.

KMC’s experience, however, suggests that the success of the policy will depend not only on the construction of processing plants but also on whether those facilities have sufficient and economically viable mineral feedstock over their operating lives.

For policymakers, that creates a delicate balance: pushing miners towards higher levels of value addition while ensuring that investment decisions remain commercially and geologically sustainable.

Liang’s message to Parliament was therefore not a rejection of beneficiation, but a call for a more tailored approach — one that considers the size, grade, mine life, extraction method, and economics of individual mineral deposits before determining the scale and pace of downstream investment.

Zimbabwe’s gold delivery figures for July 2026 recorded significant contractions, with total deliveries falling by 26.5% month-on-month and 17.3% year-on-year, according to data released by Fidelity Gold Refinery, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Rudairo Mapuranga

The total gold deliveries for July 2026 stood at 3,536.1364 kilograms, a sharp decline from the 4,810.0673 kilograms delivered in June 2026. This also represents a notable drop from the 4,274.3736 kilograms recorded in July 2025.

The decline was driven predominantly by a steep fall in deliveries from the Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) sector, which has been the backbone of Zimbabwe’s recent production boom.

Large-scale miners delivered 1,188.5547 kilograms in July 2026. This represents a 3.4% month-on-month decline from the 1,229.7934 kilograms delivered in June 2026.

However, the year-on-year comparison paints a more resilient picture. Deliveries in July 2026 were 10.6% higher than the 1,074.5348 kilograms recorded in July 2025, underscoring the positive trajectory of major mining houses despite recent monthly volatility.

The ASM sector, which has been driving record national output, suffered the most significant decline. Deliveries from small-scale producers plummeted to 2,347.5817 kilograms in July 2026, a 34.4% month-on-month decline from June 2026’s robust 3,580.2739 kilograms.

Compared to July 2025, when small-scale deliveries stood at 3,199.8388 kilograms, the sector recorded a 26.6% year-on-year decline. This sudden drop raises questions about operational continuity, weather patterns, or potential policy shifts affecting informal miners.

The July 2026 figures mark a departure from the strong growth narrative that defined 2025, when national output reached a record 46.7 tonnes. The 26.5% monthly decline is the steepest in recent months and comes at a time when authorities had been targeting 55 tonnes for the full year 2026.

The small-scale sector’s volatility remains a persistent challenge. While formalisation initiatives and the introduction of the ZMF-FGR Gold Card were expected to stabilise deliveries, the 34.4% monthly drop suggests that structural issues—such as access to finance, equipment shortages, or seasonal factors—may still be hindering consistent output.

On the positive side, large-scale mining continues to demonstrate resilience with 10.6% year-on-year growth, reinforcing confidence in major projects like Caledonia Mining’s Bilboes development and Namib Minerals’ Redwing restart, which are expected to boost industrial production in the coming years.

Despite the July slump, Zimbabwe’s gold sector remains on a long-term growth trajectory. The government’s commitment to accumulating physical gold reserves—now at 4.4 tonnes and backed by over US$1.4 billion—provides a monetary anchor that cushions short-term production fluctuations.

However, reversing the decline in ASM deliveries will require urgent attention. Industry stakeholders have called for accelerated implementation of the ASGM Strategy, improved access to mechanisation, and faster processing of mining claims to sustain the formalisation momentum that delivered 34.9 tonnes from the sector in 2025.

With large-scale projects coming online and small-scale formalisation expected to deepen, analysts remain cautiously optimistic that Zimbabwe can still approach its ambitious 55-tonne target for 2026, provided that July’s downturn proves temporary rather than structural.

Caledonia Mining Corporation Plc Chairman July Ndlovu has purchased 21,400 common shares in the company for approximately US$492,842, increasing his beneficial interest in the Zimbabwe-focused gold producer to 250,489 shares.

By Rudairo Mapuranga

The transaction was conducted on the New York Stock Exchange on August 13, 2026, at US$23.03 per share, according to a director shareholding notification released by Caledonia on Monday.

The company said it received notification of the transaction on August 14. Ndlovu is identified in the disclosure as a Non-Executive Director and Chairman of Caledonia.

The latest purchase follows another acquisition by Ndlovu in May, when he bought 15,000 Caledonia shares at US$24.81 each. Following that transaction, his holding stood at 229,089 shares.

The latest purchase therefore represents a further increase in the chairman’s direct interest in the company, although Caledonia has not stated a reason for the acquisition in its regulatory notification.

Ndlovu’s latest share purchase comes as Caledonia continues to advance its Zimbabwe portfolio, anchored by the Blanket Gold Mine in Gwanda and the development of the Bilboes gold project.

Caledonia reported second-quarter revenue of US$75.9 million, up 16% from US$65.3 million in the same period last year, supported by higher realised gold prices.

Blanket produced 17,360 ounces during the quarter, an 18% decline from the 21,070 ounces produced in the second quarter of 2025. However, production increased 18% compared with the first quarter of 2026 as grades improved and the company gained access to higher-grade mining areas.

The company maintained its full-year Blanket production guidance of between 72,000 and 76,500 ounces and said measures to improve mine flexibility and ore availability were gaining traction.

Caledonia also expects its seven-day working week, introduced at Blanket in June, to support higher production, with the company planning to begin processing an additional 200 tonnes of ore per day from September.

The company is simultaneously advancing the Bilboes project, one of its key growth assets in Zimbabwe.

Ndlovu joined Caledonia’s board as an independent Non-Executive Director in November 2025 and became chairman following the company’s 2026 Annual General Meeting.

The latest purchase increases his shareholding at a time when Caledonia is seeking to improve production at Blanket while advancing its wider Zimbabwe growth portfolio.

The transaction itself, however, does not indicate the reason for Ndlovu’s purchase, and the company has not characterised it as an investment signal.

Caledonia is listed on the NYSE American, AIM and the Victoria Falls Stock Exchange under the ticker CMCL.

Economists have warned Zimbabwe against relying on gold, platinum group metals (PGMs) and lithium to sustain mining growth as production of several other minerals continues to decline despite strong export earnings, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Ryan Chigoche

The warning comes as Zimbabwe’s mining sector continues to post strong export earnings, with government figures showing mineral exports reached US$5.73 billion in the first half of 2026, driven largely by gold, PGMs and lithium.

But the strength of the headline export figures masks an uneven production picture across the sector. Data from the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development’s Research Department show chrome production fell 61.7% in the first quarter of 2026, while nickel declined 52%, copper 52.5%, cobalt 66.6% and diamond production 44% compared with the same period in 2025.

The contrasting performance is raising questions about how broad-based Zimbabwe’s mining growth really is, and whether the sector can sustain its momentum if conditions weaken in the commodities currently driving earnings.

Speaking to Mining Zimbabwe, Morgan & Co investment analyst Kudakwashe Taimo said the divergence between export receipts and production across the sector points to an increasing dependence on a small group of commodities.

“Zimbabwe’s strong mineral export earnings are encouraging, but the divergence between rising export receipts and declining production in several minerals suggests that growth is being driven more by favourable prices and a few dominant commodities, particularly gold, PGMs and lithium, than by broad-based expansion across the mining sector.”

That concentration, Taimo said, creates a vulnerability for an economy that relies heavily on mining for foreign currency.

“While this has supported foreign currency inflows, reserves and ZiG stability so far, it raises questions about the sustainability of mining-led growth if global commodity prices soften or production in the dominant minerals slows.”

The concern, therefore, is not simply about the performance of individual minerals, but about the resilience of the wider export economy. Taimo said Zimbabwe needs to use the current strength in mining to expand production across other minerals while retaining more value locally.

“To build a more resilient export economy, Zimbabwe needs to diversify both its mineral and non-mineral export base by incentivising production of other minerals, accelerating local mineral beneficiation, improving power and transport infrastructure, ensuring a predictable policy environment, and supporting value-added manufacturing and agro-processing.”

While Taimo’s focus is on broadening the country’s mineral and export base, renowned economist Eddie Cross told Mining Zimbabwe that diversification will have limited impact unless mining also feeds into wider industrial development.

“Producing and exporting minerals will not make a country rich. It might provide the vehicle for doing so, but not much more. It is industry that creates employment and value.”

That emphasis on what happens beyond the mine gate was also evident at the recently concluded Mine Entra 2026 in Bulawayo, where policymakers and industry players examined how mining can support wider economic transformation through stronger value chains, beneficiation, local supply chains and downstream industries.

For Zimbabwe, that means the diversification challenge extends beyond finding new mineral projects. It also requires building processing, manufacturing and supply industries capable of capturing more value from resources extracted locally.

The country’s push for lithium beneficiation provides one example of this shift, while similar opportunities exist across chrome, PGMs, base metals and other mineral segments.

Turning that potential into sustained industrial growth, however, will require the conditions needed to attract long-term investment.

Taimo pointed to reliable power and transport infrastructure, policy predictability and investment incentives as critical to developing new projects and expanding existing operations.

For policymakers, the challenge is to ensure that the strength of gold, PGMs and lithium becomes a platform for broader mineral development and industrialisation, rather than deepening Zimbabwe’s dependence on a narrow group of commodities.