Mining ZimbabweLatest Mining News, Policy and Industry Updates

Bulawayo, Zimbabwe – June 26, 2025. Police in Bulawayo have launched a manhunt for three armed suspects who staged a daring robbery at Old Nic Mine on Tuesday, June 25, 2025, making off with a substantial amount of cash.

In a statement, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) confirmed the incident, saying,

“Police in Bulawayo are investigating a robbery case which occurred at Old Nic Mine on 25/06/25, where three unknown suspects, who were armed with pistols, pounced on the company’s offices and attacked three complainants who were present. The suspects stole USD520,000 and two cell phones.” said the Police in  statement.

The suspects, who are still at large, reportedly stormed the mine’s offices armed with pistols before assaulting the victims and fleeing with the stolen items. No fatalities have been reported.

Authorities say investigations are underway and urged anyone with information to come forward.

“The Zimbabwe Republic Police will release more detailed information regarding this case tomorrow,” the statement added.

The incident has raised serious concerns over security at mining operations, which often handle large amounts of cash for operational expenses.

More updates to follow as the story develops…

The Minister of State for Mashonaland West Province, Marian Chombo, has challenged government departments and local authorities to adopt a results-driven mindset aligned with the President’s Vision 2030, as the province welcomes a major investment from pan-African mining company, Bravura, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Rudairo Mapuranga

Speaking during a stakeholder engagement with Bravura Mining and Resources, which is set to establish operations in Zvimba and Chegutu districts, Chombo emphasized the need for government officials to implement the national vision with urgency and efficiency.

“You must adopt the President’s vision because he has set a clear direction for Zimbabwe to become an upper-middle-income economy by 2030. As implementers, your role is to make sure that vision becomes a reality. When mining giants like Bravura come forward and say they need certain things to progress, your job is to ensure those things are done without delay,” she said.

Her remarks underscore the government’s commitment to rural industrialisation, a pillar of Vision 2030, which continues to gain momentum through private sector participation in resource-driven districts. Bravura’s entry into Mashonaland West is expected to significantly contribute to economic decentralisation, job creation, and infrastructure development.

Bravura Holdings Zimbabwe Managing Director, Mr. Gbenga Ojo, confirmed during the engagement that the company has completed feasibility studies for its platinum project and is now entering the developmental phase.

“We are a mining conglomerate, and we are pan-African with a footprint in about fourteen African countries. As a business, we are committed to ensuring that we have a viable project in the years to come. And already, we’ve invested heavily in the project, having completed our feasibility study and our exploration work, and we are currently at the developmental phase,” said Ojo.

Though the company did not disclose project timelines or job estimates, Ojo assured stakeholders that Bravura was sensitive to community needs and had established a solid corporate social responsibility framework to guide local empowerment.

“In terms of our social responsibility, we’ve made our commitment to the Minister that everywhere we operate as a business, we are Africans, and so we understand the needs of Africa. We play in the terrain of Africa, so everywhere we operate in Africa, we are mindful of the need to invest heavily in the well-being of our people. Already, as a business, what we have done is to ensure that our staff strength is ninety-five percent locals, just to show our demonstration that we are committed to investing in the locals and uplifting the people,” he said.

The long-awaited Mines and Minerals Bill (H.B. 1, 2025) has officially been gazetted, marking the latest chapter in Zimbabwe’s drawn-out journey to reform its colonial-era mining legislation, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Rudairo Mapuranga

Published in today’s Government Gazette by Clerk of Parliament K. M. Chokuda, the Bill is being introduced in terms of Standing Order No. 142(1) of the National Assembly. The development is significant as Zimbabwe’s mining industry—key to the country’s economy—continues to operate under the outdated Mines and Minerals Act of 1961, which stakeholders have for years described as unfit for the current socio-economic and environmental context.

This is not the first time the Mines and Minerals Bill has been gazetted. Over the past decade, several versions have been tabled, debated, and shelved—either lapsing in Parliament or stalling before receiving Presidential assent. This has fuelled uncertainty in the mining sector, especially among investors seeking a consistent and transparent legal framework.

What the 2025 Mines Bill Seeks to Address

The newly gazetted Bill proposes to:

• Replace the Mines and Minerals Act [Chapter 21:05] with a more modern framework aligned with national development goals.
• Establish a Mining Affairs Board to guide decision-making processes.
• Introduce clearer rules on mining title management, particularly in terms of cadastre and exploration rights.
• Strengthen environmental compliance and land rehabilitation obligations.
• Improve governance through transparency and accountability mechanisms in the allocation of mining rights.
• Define and protect community rights, including benefit-sharing and land access protocols.
• Address concerns about exclusive prospecting orders (EPOs) and introduce frameworks that enable small-scale and artisanal miners to be formally recognised and supported.
• Align the mining law with Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030 and other international obligations, particularly in the extractives sector.

While the Bill appears comprehensive, stakeholders are expected to scrutinise it heavily, especially in light of past concerns that previous versions lacked adequate provisions on resource nationalism, community participation, and state equity in major mining operations.

Will This Be the Final Push?

Despite having gone through various iterations under different Ministers of Mines and multiple parliamentary sessions, the Mines Bill has yet to be signed into law by the President. Its continued failure to cross the final legal threshold has drawn criticism from civil society, miners, and lawmakers alike, who argue that its passage is crucial to unlocking the full potential of Zimbabwe’s US$12 billion mining economy.

As the latest version of the Bill enters the parliamentary process, hopes are high but cautious. The big question remains: Will this be the year the Mines and Minerals Bill finally becomes law?

From pegging new claims to guiding production underground, surveying remains the heartbeat of Zimbabwe’s mining sector. No shaft is sunk, no ore is blasted, and no plan is implemented without the critical input of a mine surveyor.

By Rudairo Mapuranga

As Zimbabwe intensifies its push for greater mining sector efficiency and order, the importance of mine surveying has come into sharper focus—technically, legally, and economically.

Surveyors are no longer just line-markers or underground mappers. They are now integrated data specialists, helping mines navigate the intersection of geology, engineering, compliance, and production. From exploration through to mine closure, every stage of the mining lifecycle relies on the precision and oversight of trained surveyors.

“Without surveying, there is no mine. You can’t mine what you haven’t measured, and you certainly can’t plan what you can’t map accurately,” said a senior mine planning engineer during a recent Association of Mine Surveyors of Zimbabwe (AMSZ) technical visit.

Why Surveying is Central to the Mining Value Chain

Zimbabwe’s mining sector continues to evolve, but at the centre of every successful operation is a survey-controlled process. Here’s how:

• Pegging and Licensing: The first step of any mining venture begins with pegging. Mine surveyors define and secure the physical extent of a mining claim, ensuring legal title is backed by precise, professional mapping.

• Exploration and Resource Modelling: Working alongside geologists, mine surveyors assist in accurate drill positioning and 3D mapping of ore bodies, which informs resource classification and investor reporting.

• Mine Planning: Survey data feeds directly into open-pit and underground designs. Surveyors help determine how much ore can be mined, how safely, and over what timeframe.

• Production and Monitoring: On a daily basis, surveyors track volumes moved, ore extracted, and stope progression, ensuring production targets are met and reconciled with plans.

• Compliance and Safety: From blasting clearance to dump placement, mine surveyors ensure operations stay within legal boundaries, avoid encroachment, and support environmental and safety standards.

• Closure and Rehabilitation: When the mining ends, it’s the survey department that validates volumes mined, facilitates closure planning, and provides data for rehabilitation and compliance audits.

Policy Shift: Handheld GPS Banned in Favour of Survey-Grade Instruments

Recognising the central role of surveying, and the damage caused by inaccurate data, the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development recently moved to ban the use of handheld GPS devices for capturing mine coordinates.

In a General Notice issued in June 2025, the Provincial Mining Director for Midlands instructed that all mining title holders must submit coordinates captured using survey-grade instruments, under the supervision of registered mine surveyors, starting 1 July 2025.

“Handheld GPS is a navigation tool, not a survey instrument. It has an error margin of up to 5 metres, which is completely unacceptable in high-stakes boundary work.”

This move follows years of disputes caused by overlapping claims, illegal pegging, and title inaccuracies—most of which stemmed from reliance on imprecise handheld tools. While a fully operational digital cadastre system is yet to be implemented in Zimbabwe, the government’s push for professionalised coordinate submission is a foundational step toward its success.

Students and Innovation: The Future of Surveying is Already Here

During a recent AMSZ technical visit to Blanket Mine in Gwanda, the association’s Secretary General Takunda Paul Mubaiwa said students and young professionals will shape the future of mine surveying in Zimbabwe. He called on students across universities and polytechnics to join the association, saying it opens access to real-world knowledge, mentorship, and entrepreneurial opportunities.

“Surveyors are no longer just underground workers. They are data scientists, consultants, even hardware and software developers,” Mubaiwa said. “We encourage students to think beyond the diploma.”

He emphasised that surveyors are now expected to not only capture data, but also process and interpret it in ways that drive decision-making—linking their work directly to production, revenue, and profitability.

The Case for Respecting Survey Work

Surveying has historically been treated as a support service in mining. But that perception is changing. As Zimbabwe moves to modernise and formalise its mining sector, surveying is now a core operational and strategic function.

• It underpins legal title security

• It drives investor confidence through reliable data

• It supports cost control by linking inputs to outputs

• It enables mine safety and environmental compliance

• It is key to building a functional mining cadastre system

AMSZ is also advocating for the broader use of modern survey software like Deswik, already in use at Blanket Mine, which allows multi-departmental integration of planning, geology, and survey data.

Surveying is Not Optional, It’s Foundational

Zimbabwe’s mining ambitions—from $12 billion sector targets to greenfield lithium developments—depend on accurate, verifiable spatial data. That means surveying must take its rightful place as a profession of high responsibility, governed by standards, and supported by legislation.

“Surveying is the heart of a mine. Everything starts and ends with a coordinate, and only professionals should handle that responsibility,” Mubaiwa said.

As the government enforces accuracy, and the industry embraces digital transformation, surveyors are poised to lead Zimbabwe’s next mining chapter—with precision, professionalism, and pride.

Arcadia Lithium Mine’s Goromonzi Community Development Project, spearheaded by Huayou Cobalt, has been awarded a prestigious spot in the “2025 Innovative Cases of Business for Good” at the Family Philanthropy Inheritance Exchange Conference held in China, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Rudairo Mapuranga

The recognition places Zimbabwe at the centre of a global conversation on inclusive mining and corporate social responsibility (CSR). Arcadia Lithium, owned by Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe (PLZ) — a subsidiary of Shanghai-listed battery metals giant Huayou Cobalt — is not only known for running one of the largest hard-rock lithium processing plants in Africa, but is also fast gaining respect for embedding community impact at the heart of its operations.

The event, hosted by the Family Culture Inheritance and Charity Trust Committee of the China Charity Federation, included Huayou Cobalt’s Goromonzi Community Development Project — which supports the community surrounding its lithium operations in Zimbabwe — among the “2025 Innovative Cases of Business for Good.”

Arcadia Lithium Mine is operated by Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe (PLZ), a subsidiary of China’s Huayou Cobalt, which acquired the mine in 2022.

Community Projects Cited for Practical Model

The recognition highlights Huayou’s approach to community support in Goromonzi, where the company is implementing a range of social development initiatives aligned with broader sustainability goals. The project was promoted in collaboration with the UN Global Compact’s Sino-African Sustainable Development Action Network, alongside input from three Chinese-listed companies and the University of Zimbabwe.

According to the organisers, the Goromonzi initiative was recognised for its “innovative practice model and measurable community outcomes” — particularly in health education, skills training, women’s empowerment, and local energy access.

What the Project Covers

The Goromonzi Community Development Project is structured around four core areas:

• Health Promotion: Community programmes to raise awareness about basic health and hygiene, mainly targeting children.

• Youth Skills Development: Vocational training aligned with local employment needs.

• Women Empowerment: Sewing skills training with access to income-generating orders.

• Access to Renewable Energy: Support for decentralised power supply to schools, homes, and small businesses.

According to sources familiar with the programme, the projects were selected following feasibility studies and stakeholder consultations, including with some local residents.

Recognition Comes Amid Broader ESG Push in Mining

While the recognition is notable, industry observers say it also comes at a time when ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) expectations are rising in Zimbabwe’s mining sector.

Though still largely voluntary, CSR activities are becoming more central to how mining companies are evaluated — both locally and globally. In that context, Arcadia Lithium’s efforts are consistent with a broader trend among producers seeking to align operations with development priorities.

A Measured Step, Not a Benchmark

While the Goromonzi recognition helps shine a light on social investment practices in Zimbabwe’s mining sector, experts say context is important.

“Recognition doesn’t always mean replication,” said one mining analyst in Harare. “What works in Goromonzi may not work in Hwange or Zvishavane. But it’s a signal that companies are expected to do more than extract.”

In practical terms, this also highlights the need for stronger community engagement models, especially around high-value minerals like lithium, which are now central to the global energy transition.

Huayou’s approach, in this case, includes working with academic institutions and tapping into multilateral development networks — a move some believe could shape how other new entrants structure their CSR.

The recognition of Arcadia Lithium’s Goromonzi community development efforts in China reflects a growing shift in how mining projects are assessed — not just by production figures, but by their social footprint.

For Zimbabwe, it’s a reminder that resource development is now closely tied to how well companies engage communities, build skills, and contribute to local resilience. While not perfect or universal, Arcadia’s example offers a case study worth monitoring.