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Gold buying prices per gram in Zimbabwe, 23 July 2025

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Gold buying prices per gram in Zimbabwe, 23 July 2025

Gold buying prices per gram in Zimbabwe today, 23 July 2025, from the official gold buyer and exporter Fidelity Gold Refinery (FGR).

SG 90% and ABOVE US$103.59/g.
SG ABOVE 89% BUT BELOW 90% US$102.50/g.
SG ABOVE 80% BUT BELOW 85% US$101.40/g.
SG ABOVE 75% BUT BELOW 80% US$100.31/g.
SAMPLE BELOW 10g BUT ABOVE 5g US$98.66/g.

Fire Assay CASH $104.14/g.

NB: Fire Assay cash price is for gold above 100g; no sample is deducted.

A sample of not more than 10g is deducted for the Fire Assay Transfer price.

A 2% royalty is charged on all deposits (Small-scale miners).

A 5% royalty is set for Primary Producers.

Zimbabwe’s Mineral Export Revenues Dip Despite 27% Surge in Volumes

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Zimbabwe’s Mineral Export Revenues Dip Despite 27% Surge in Volumes

Zimbabwe recorded a 27% increase in mineral export volumes during the first half of 2025, but total earnings fell short of last year’s levels due to tumbling global prices for key minerals, according to the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ).

By Ryan Chigoche

Data from the state-run agency show that mineral exports brought in US$1.4 billion between January and June 2025, down from US$1.56 billion over the same period in 2024.

The sharp drop in revenue came despite a strong uptick in production, underscoring how commodity price volatility continues to weigh on Zimbabwe’s mining sector.

Lithium grows in tonnes, not dollars

The lithium sector continued its rapid expansion, with spodumene concentrate exports rising to 586,197 tonnes, up from 451,824 tonnes in the first half of 2024. However, revenues fell by 24% due to declining lithium prices on the global market.

Coal and steel push ahead

Coal exports also showed strong performance, with shipments jumping 121% to 253,848 tonnes, driven by increased production capacity. Steel exports, MMCZ said, are also surging, benefiting from growing regional demand.

Diamonds disappoint amid falling prices and job cuts

Zimbabwe’s diamond sector took a heavy hit in the first half of 2025, with export volumes plunging 60% to 2.7 million carats and revenue falling 37%, according to the MMCZ.

This comes amid a prolonged global downturn in rough diamond prices, which have dropped from over US$3,000 per carat in 2020 to under US$1,000, as lab-grown alternatives gain traction and consumer demand weakens.

At the same time, operational challenges persist. The Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) recently retrenched around 400 workers, citing foreign currency shortages and declining profitability.

Logistics continue to choke export potential

Despite rising production, MMCZ highlighted that poor logistics remain a serious barrier to maximising export value, especially for bulk minerals like steel, coal, and granite.

“Limited inland logistic capacity, heavily reliant on road transport, continues to impede the efficient movement of materials to market. This also places local producers at a disadvantage against regional competitors benefiting from superior road and rail infrastructure and port access, particularly impacting steel, granite, coke, and coal exports where freight costs are risking customer churn,” said MMCZ.

Railways: A broken link slowly being repaired

Zimbabwe’s railway infrastructure, once the backbone of mineral logistics, has been eroded by decades of neglect, underinvestment, and aging equipment.

The National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) operates at a fraction of its intended capacity, forcing mining companies to rely on expensive road transport and choking the flow of key exports to ports.

In a bid to reverse this, Zimbabwe last year entered into a US$533 million partnership with China Railway Group Ltd to modernise its rail network.

The project aims to overhaul critical infrastructure, improve locomotive availability, and streamline freight logistics.

The goal is to restore the railway as a competitive channel for bulk mineral movement and close the widening gap with neighbours like Mozambique and Zambia, whose upgraded corridors have given them a clear export advantage.

As global demand for critical minerals intensifies, Zimbabwe’s ability to resolve its transport constraints will be pivotal in unlocking greater value from its growing mineral output.

Zimbabwe’s Gold Export Earnings Surge to US$1.84 Billion in First Half of 2025

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Zimbabwe’s Gold Export Earnings Surge to US$1.84 Billion in First Half of 2025

Zimbabwe’s gold sector is enjoying a period of exceptional growth, with export earnings in the first half of 2025 soaring to US$1.84 billion—more than double the US$870 million recorded during the same period in 2024.

By Ryan Chigoche

The strong performance puts the country firmly on track to achieve its ambitious full-year revenue target of US$3.2 billion.

This surge in earnings is largely underpinned by a sharp increase in physical gold deliveries.

Total gold output reached 20,103.55 kilograms (approximately 20.1 tonnes) during the first six months of 2025, marking a 45.85% rise compared to the 13,784.29 kilograms delivered over the same period last year.

Favourable global market conditions further amplified the sector’s performance. In the first half of the year, international gold prices climbed by 26%, driven by a weaker US dollar, stable interest rates, and heightened geopolitical tensions that prompted investors to seek refuge in gold.

This created an ideal environment for Zimbabwe to convert its production gains into substantial foreign currency inflows.

According to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ), June stood out as a particularly strong month, with gold export receipts reaching approximately US$394 million—a remarkable 146% increase from the US$160 million recorded in June 2024. This strong mid-year performance highlights the momentum building within the sector.

The central bank noted that gold continues to anchor Zimbabwe’s foreign currency earnings, providing critical support for import requirements and helping to stabilise the local currency. With reserves under pressure, these recent gains are offering a much-needed buffer to the economy.

Production patterns also reveal an evolving structure in the mining industry. The increasing contribution from the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector underscores its resilience and growing importance in the gold value chain.

Buoyed by improved access to processing facilities, informal financing channels, and competitive pricing, small-scale miners have become a key driver of national output—offsetting a notable slowdown in large-scale operations.

As the country’s most valuable mineral export, gold continues to play a pivotal role in Zimbabwe’s broader economic outlook. Globally, the precious metal has already recorded 26 new all-time highs in 2025, extending the bullish trend seen in the previous year.

However, the World Gold Council has cautioned that investor sentiment may shift in the second half of the year if inflation continues to ease and equity markets regain strength—factors that could dampen gold’s safe-haven appeal.

Despite these potential headwinds, Zimbabwe’s gold sector appears robust. With strong production fundamentals, growing small-scale contributions, and supportive international pricing, the industry remains one of the country’s most vital economic pillars for 2025 and beyond.

Mazowe Mine Is Bleeding — How Many More Must Die Before Government Acts?

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Mazowe Mine Is Bleeding — How Many More Must Die Before Government Acts?

In the hills and terrains of Mazowe, where the ground once echoed with the sound of drills, progress, and promise, a chilling silence now hangs — interrupted only by the occasional scream, the crash of a collapsing shaft, or the muted mourning of families preparing yet another funeral.

By Rudairo Mapuranga

This is not fiction. This is Mazowe. A place once hailed as a beacon of gold mining potential, now reduced to a graveyard of broken laws, shattered families, and abandoned safety protocols. It is no longer news when someone dies at Mazowe Mine. It is expected. It is routine. It is normalised and that is a tragedy.

On a cold winter night recently, two men seeking nothing more than warmth sat by a fire. An explosion ripped through the silence, leaving one dead on the spot and another fatally wounded. Before the nation could process that loss, another shaft at Mazowe’s Starlake area claimed six more lives in a horrific collapse. The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) confirmed the fatalities. Yet even this, a mass casualty event, has not stirred the level of urgency one would expect in a civilised nation.

Why are we silent when the numbers grow louder?

A Culture of Death

The latest deaths at Starlake, a shaft at Mazowe Mine, are not isolated incidents. They follow a deadly pattern that has engulfed the mine. Week in, week out, miners perish. And yet, we continue as if nothing is wrong. Six miners dead here. Three crushed there. Bodies retrieved by fellow miners with bare hands, laid out under makeshift tarpaulins. These are not just statistics. They were sons, fathers, brothers. And their only crime was trying to survive.

Redwing Mine shut down in 2024 following a similar tragedy, prompting a government stop order. Mazowe, a mine of equal national significance, received a similar directive around the same time. But at both Redwing and Mazowe, action did not come. One can only wonder: why the double standard in Zimbabwe?

Lawlessness Reigns

Mazowe Mine is no longer controlled by its rightful owners. The mine has been overtaken by chaos. Over 10,000 artisanal miners, operating illegally, have taken control of its shafts and its destiny. They mine day and night without oversight, blasting rock with questionable explosives, navigating unsafe tunnels with no protective gear, no ventilation, no engineering support. These are not miners. These are desperate citizens, pushed to the brink by an economy that has failed them and a government that refuses to act.

Despite a stop order from the Ministry of Mines in March 2024, mining at Mazowe never stopped — not for a day. Police who ought to enforce the order claim they need “authorisation” to act. It has become so commonplace that journalists have stopped reporting every incident. The deaths are no longer shocking. They are routine.

Namib Minerals and the Ghost of Investment

Namib Minerals, the rightful owners of Mazowe Mine, have announced a staggering US$300 million investment plan aimed at modernising the mine, reviving underground operations, creating jobs, and increasing gold production.

But lawlessness has made the mine inaccessible. Namib cannot even begin exploration because the very ground they own is held hostage by people with picks, shovels, and guns. The company has one court-sanctioned agreement with a contractor that expired in 2023. Since then, several other entities have illegally claimed rights to operate there. Some have even filed court applications against Namib despite having no legal cooperation agreements.

The situation is absurd: the only entity with a legitimate stake in the mine cannot access its property, while those with no documentation dig freely as they chase gold.

Where Is the Government?

It is the duty of the government to enforce mining regulations. The Ministry of Mines has every right to shut down illegal operations, and the police have every legal basis to evict those trespassing on Mazowe Mine property. Yet nothing is being done. This is not a matter of policy gaps. This is a failure of will.

If 80 kilograms of gold are being extracted illegally every month, as some insiders allege, then that gold is being smuggled, depriving the nation of revenue.

The Makorokoza Dilemma

We must also confront the psychology of the artisanal miners — the makorokoza. These are not evil people. They are often victims of circumstance. But desperation cannot justify lawlessness. What is unfolding at Mazowe is not informal mining. It is anarchic extraction. There is no accountability. No records. No responsibility. If a miner dies, no one answers. No compensation. No justice.

Artisanal mining must be formalised, regulated, and Policed. Until then, Mazowe will remain an undesirable zone masquerading as a gold field.

The Legacy at Risk

Mazowe Mining Company is no stranger to Zimbabwe’s mining legacy. Once a cornerstone of the nation’s gold production, it has been reduced to a so so mine, its legacy tarnished by neglect and encroachment by unregulated actors. In January 2024, Namib announced its intention to resume underground operations. But lawlessness has halted every step of progress. Equipment has been stolen, infrastructure vandalised, and safety completely abandoned.

We must ask: how can a country that speaks of a US$40 billion mining economy allow one of its flagship mines to become a graveyard?

Solutions We Cannot Delay

It is not enough to mourn. Zimbabwe must act.

  1. Immediate Eviction: The Ministry of Mines, in collaboration with the Zimbabwe Republic Police, must immediately enforce the stop order issued in 2024. All illegal mining operations at Mazowe must cease.

  2. Secure the Mine: Deploy security forces to guard strategic shafts and secure assets belonging to Namib Minerals.

  3. Fast-Track Investment Approval: Remove bureaucratic bottlenecks and offer Namib full government backing to commence its US$300 million investment.

  4. Artisanal Mining Zones: Create designated areas for artisanal miners, with government-supervised safety protocols.

  5. Zero Harm Policy: Implement an ESG framework that places human life above profit. No shaft should be operational without certified safety infrastructure.

  6. National Inquiry: Set up a parliamentary inquiry into fatalities at Mazowe Mine. Let every name of the deceased be read into the record.

The Time for Silence Has Passed

This is not just about Mazowe. This is about our national conscience. Every week, another funeral procession leaves the gates of Mazowe. Every week, a mother weeps, a child is orphaned, and a dream is buried. And still, the nation watches.

Enough.

We do not need another death to know that Mazowe Mine is bleeding. We need courage. We need will. We need leadership.

The graveyard is full. It is time to bring the mine back to life — the right way.

Gold buying prices per gram in Zimbabwe, 22 July 2025

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Gold buying prices per gram in Zimbabwe, 22 July 2025

Gold buying prices per gram in Zimbabwe today, 22 July 2025, from the official gold buyer and exporter Fidelity Gold Refinery (FGR).

SG 90% and ABOVE US$102.88/g.
SG ABOVE 89% BUT BELOW 90% US$101.79/g.
SG ABOVE 80% BUT BELOW 85% US$100.70/g.
SG ABOVE 75% BUT BELOW 80% US$99.61/g.
SAMPLE BELOW 10g BUT ABOVE 5g US$97.98/g.

Fire Assay CASH $103.42/g.

NB: Fire Assay cash price is for gold above 100g; no sample is deducted.

A sample of not more than 10g is deducted for the Fire Assay Transfer price.

A 2% royalty is charged on all deposits (Small-scale miners).

A 5% royalty is set for Primary Producers.

Premier Issues Equity for Loan Interest as Zulu Plant Targets Steady Output at 5% Grade

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Premier Issues Equity for Loan Interest as Zulu Plant Targets Steady Output at 5% Grade

Premier African Minerals has issued over 1.6 billion new ordinary shares to settle accrued interest on a director’s loan, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Rudairo Mapuranga

The issuance of the shares comes at a time when the company’s flagship Zulu Lithium and Tantalum Project in Fort Rixon is ramping up operations after hitting a notable 5% lithium oxide grade, positioning itself among the highest-performing spodumene producers in the region.

Premier announced on Monday that it had issued 1,666,666,667 new shares at 0.012 pence per share, raising £200,000 in equity to settle unpaid interest on a 2023 loan advance by CEO George Roach. The settlement, which represents 2.1% of the company’s current issued share capital, follows the same pricing terms as Premier’s last market-based subscription announced on 11 June 2025.

According to the company, the issuance forms part of a broader strategy to clean up its balance sheet while navigating delays in debt restructuring and production stabilisation.

“This settlement allows us to focus our capital resources on operational priorities at Zulu,” Premier said in a statement, emphasising the importance of sustaining production in a challenging lithium market.

Following the share issue, George Roach now holds 2.91 billion shares, equating to a 3.8% stake in the company. While interest on the loan had initially been waived, it became payable following a technical default. The total accrued interest stood at £207,741.77 as of 30 June 2025. Roach has agreed to defer any repayment until 21 June 2026, or until a buyer acceptable to Canmax Technologies steps in to manage the outstanding prepayment arrangement.

This extension, however, is conditional—should Premier default again, the agreement may be revoked.

While sorting out its financials, Premier is making strong technical progress at the Zulu Lithium and Tantalum Project near Fort Rixon, Zimbabwe.

The company recently announced that its pilot plant has hit a 5% Li₂O concentrate grade, exceeding initial expectations. The news comes as the Zulu plant moves closer to consistent, steady-state production—a key step in restoring investor confidence and securing long-term offtake deals.

“The plant is now consistently producing spodumene concentrate exceeding 5.0% Li₂O with better recoveries,” Premier revealed earlier this month. “This is the grade we set out to achieve and positions Zulu among the best producers in terms of concentrate quality.”

This milestone follows a series of mechanical upgrades and process adjustments after commissioning delays and recovery issues hampered initial output earlier in the year. Since resuming operations in earnest in May 2025, Zulu has not only resolved its recovery challenges but is now exporting spodumene concentrate that meets international benchmark standards.

According to Premier, the next focus is stabilising production volumes to align with target throughput. As plant modifications near completion, the company expects the facility to operate at full nameplate capacity—transforming Zulu into a reliable upstream contributor to the global battery minerals supply chain.

Despite these operational improvements, Premier remains entangled in a complex financial situation with Canmax Technologies, its Chinese prepayment partner.

In 2023, Premier received significant prepayment funding from Canmax in exchange for future lithium deliveries. However, production delays triggered a breach of contract. Although litigation was avoided, Canmax has since withheld additional funds, pending Premier’s ability to demonstrate consistent spodumene delivery.

The current deferral agreement between Roach and Premier hinges on Premier either repaying Canmax or securing a third-party buyer acceptable to Canmax who can assume and service the outstanding liability.

This explains why every tonne of spodumene Zulu ships is not just a boost for revenue—it’s a critical step in regaining Canmax’s trust or attracting a new strategic offtake partner.

The recent equity issuance and deferral arrangements also aim to avoid cash strain on day-to-day operations. Premier has consistently shown a preference for managing liquidity through non-cash settlements and strategic share placements—especially while the company awaits improved cash flow from Zulu’s production ramp-up.

With total issued shares now at 77.67 billion, investors will be watching closely to see whether the capital structure can hold or if further dilution may be necessary.

“Premier is now focused on maintaining performance from the Zulu plant and meeting delivery commitments, while balancing capital needs with shareholder value,” the company said.

Zimbabwe’s Spodumene Exports Jump 30% Despite Global Lithium Price Slump

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Zimbabwe’s Spodumene Exports Jump 30% Despite Global Lithium Price Slump

Zimbabwe’s exports of spodumene concentrate, an essential lithium-bearing mineral used in battery production, rose by 30% in the first half of 2025, even as global lithium prices remained subdued.

By Ryan Chigoche

According to official statistics from the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ), the country exported 586,197 metric tons of spodumene concentrate between January and June, up from 451,824 metric tons during the same period in 2024.

Global lithium prices have plunged nearly 90% over the past two years, largely due to an oversupplied market. Lithium’s fall has been particularly steep: after peaking above US$80,000 per tonne in late 2022, prices collapsed to just US$8,450 by June this year, marking a near-total retreat in under three years, according to data from Adamas Intelligence.

Despite the price slump, producers remain optimistic about the long-term outlook, driven by the continued global transition toward electric vehicles and renewable energy technologies.

MMCZ noted that the lithium market presented a “notable contradiction,” with prices falling while demand for the metal continued to rise. The agency added that prices are expected to recover in the medium term.

Zimbabwe, Africa’s leading lithium producer, has seen significant investment from Chinese companies such as Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt, Sinomine, Chengxin Lithium Group, Yahua Group, and Tsingshan. These firms have collectively poured over US$1.4 billion into acquiring and developing lithium assets in the country since 2021.

Looking ahead, Zimbabwe plans to halt the export of unprocessed lithium concentrates by 2027 in a move aimed at promoting local value addition.

Huayou, which exported 400,000 tons of lithium concentrate from Zimbabwe in 2024, has begun constructing a 50,000-ton-per-year lithium sulphate plant locally. Meanwhile, Sinomine has announced plans for a US$500 million lithium sulphate facility at its Bikita operation.

Lithium sulphate is a crucial intermediate material that can be further refined into battery-grade compounds such as lithium hydroxide or lithium carbonate—both vital for the production of electric vehicle batteries.

New Law Threatens to Render Peggers Obsolete

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New Law Threatens to Render Peggers Obsolete

For years, peggers (also known as staking agents or approved prospectors) have been the go-to professionals for prospecting and claim beacons across the country. They wielded handheld GPS units, knowledge of terrain, and the trust of miners navigating an often opaque mining title system. But in 2025, the game is changing—and if peggers don’t evolve, they risk extinction.

By Rudairo Mapuranga

The Ministry of Mines and Mining Development has now made it mandatory that all mining title applications, including prospecting and registration, must come with survey-grade coordinates authenticated by registered mine surveyors. This effectively renders the handheld GPS era obsolete and pegs a new standard—professional precision.

“This isn’t a suggestion. It’s now mandatory,” a Ministry official said. “If you want your paperwork processed, make sure your coordinates come from someone who’s registered and recognised by the Ministry and AMSZ. Otherwise, you’re wasting your time.”

While this may sound like a technical update, its implications cut deep into the livelihood of traditional peggers. Their monopoly on claim location services is under threat from a growing class of certified surveyors, many of them fresh graduates from the Zimbabwe School of Mines. These young professionals, armed with legal recognition and superior instruments, are quickly becoming the new faces of mineral rights authentication.

And they are not just technicians—they are staking agents too.

Surveyors as Peggers? A Career Collision

Under the new regime, many licensed mine surveyors are also being registered as staking agents, collapsing two roles into one (Survegger). What was once a sequential process—peg first, survey later—is being compressed into a single service. The result? Peggers face irrelevance unless they upgrade their skills, obtain formal qualifications, and become surveyors themselves.

“Surveying is the heart of a mine. Everything starts and ends with a coordinate, and only professionals should handle that responsibility,” noted Association of Mine Surveyors of Zimbabwe (AMSZ) Secretary General Takunda Paul Mubaiwa.

This quote isn’t poetic—it’s policy. Surveyors are now centre stage. From title security to environmental compliance, their signatures will be on every mining coordinate submitted.

A Saturated Field Looms

Worse still for traditional peggers, the pipeline of competition is growing.

Each year, dozens of young surveyors graduate with diplomas and degrees, and with limited job openings in big mining companies, the field of prospecting and staking is their immediate fallback. Backed by both AMSZ and the Ministry, these young professionals will likely charge competitive rates, meet modern compliance standards, and attract miners hungry for legal security.

This evolution is no longer theoretical. Already, miners are being turned away from Ministry offices for submitting handheld GPS coordinates. The days when a miner and a pegger could walk in with a receipt and rough coordinates are gone.

“I bought a prospecting licence and thought I was ready to submit my paperwork,” said artisanal miner Tafadzwa Chikowore. “To my surprise, the Ministry officer said I must bring coordinates signed off by a surveyor from their list.”

ZPA Calls for Phased Rollout—but That Won’t Stop the Clock

The Zimbabwe Prospectors Association (ZPA), fully aware of the existential threat to its members, has urged the Ministry to take a phased approach.

ZPA President Timothy Chizuzu proposes that the government begin with dispute-prone areas, test the system, and then expand nationwide, buying time for prospectors to adapt.

“Start with claims that already have disputes and survey those first. That way, we’ll see how effective the process is before applying it nationwide,” Chizuzu advised.

He also called on the Ministry to upgrade experienced prospectors, enabling them to complement the current shortage of registered mine surveyors.

“The government must upgrade the prospectors already doing the work. With proper training, they can complement the few surveyors we have and help carry out the work faster and more cost-effectively,” Chizuzu said.

But make no mistake—while these calls are reasonable, they are not a shield. The law has already changed. The Ministry is enforcing it. Peggers need to move now or risk being left behind.

The Surveyor-Pegger Hybrid Is the Future

It’s important to note that peggers and staking agents aren’t being banned. But their legal authority is shrinking. Without the power to submit legally binding coordinates, their influence is diminished, and if surveyors take on both roles, their services may no longer be required.

This hybridisation is not just a theoretical concept—it is already happening. Young professionals are registering under the AMSZ database, fulfilling both survey and staking duties. And miners, desperate to avoid claim disputes and double payments, will naturally gravitate to one-stop-shop service providers.

Realignment or Redundancy?

The question every peggers’ association, including ZPA, must now answer is: What’s our next move?

It could be reskilling. It could be lobbying for a new certification framework. It could even be merging with the surveyors’ ecosystem to form accredited teams that deliver both human and technical value.

But what’s clear is this: the days of handheld GPS, freelance pegging, and paper-only maps are numbered.

Mining is moving toward professionalism, transparency, and digital governance. And in this environment, relevance is earned, not inherited.

If peggers don’t reinvent themselves now, they won’t be pushed out. They’ll simply fade away as the miners—and the market—move on.

What Should Peggers Do?

  • Seek training and certification in basic mine surveying

  • Partner with registered surveyors as subcontractors

  • Lobby for a formalised peggers’ certification route through the Ministry

  • Participate in awareness campaigns to understand the law

  • Embrace digitisation and modern surveying instruments

This isn’t the first time a traditional occupation has been disrupted by policy and technology. It won’t be the last. But peggers in Zimbabwe now stand at a crossroads.

Either they professionalise and integrate with the new system, or they stand on the periphery, watching as graduates from the Zimbabwe School of Mines reshape the landscape.

This is similar to Nokia, which had the majority of the mobile market share but chose not to adjust to world trends. The rest is history.

It’s not about populism, your long history in the pegging business or requesting to have meetings with the powers that be.

The message is simple: make yourself relevant, or lose out. 

Premier’s Zulu Plant Hits 5%+ Lithium Grade, Eyes Steady Output

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Premier’s Zulu Plant Hits 5%+ Lithium Grade, Eyes Steady Output

Premier African Minerals has registered significant early gains at its Zulu Lithium and Tantalum Project, with flotation test runs delivering a concentrate grade exceeding 5%—a notable benchmark in the lithium production space, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Rudairo Mapuranga

After the much-anticipated restart of the plant on July 6, 2025, following the installation of critical cleaner cell inserts in the flotation section, Premier has announced that the initial test run has yielded encouraging results, especially in terms of grade performance. However, the journey to optimisation is still underway, as Premier now turns focus toward recovery improvement and establishing a steady-state operation.

In a statement released on Friday, the company confirmed that the Zulu plant, located near Fort Rixon in Matabeleland South, achieved stability toward the end of the initial testing phase—a critical milestone after an extended period of downtime. The OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) inserts have demonstrated that they effectively reduce concentrate retention time in the cleaner section—an issue flagged during previous operations.

“During this test run, there were encouraging signs, including an observed improvement in concentrate grade with results exceeding the target grade of 5% in the final cleaner cell prior to being pumped to the filter press (bagging plant),” the company said.

Despite the success in achieving high-grade concentrate, recoveries remain below the desired threshold. Excess lithium oxide (Li₂O) continues to show up in tailings, prompting the company to recirculate the material back into the flotation circuit in hopes of extracting more value.

Premier’s priority, as it stands, is achieving a commercially saleable grade—which appears within reach—before shifting focus to the more technical challenge of recovery rate optimisation.

To that end, Premier announced that the initial test run has temporarily ceased, and full operational control of the plant will be handed over to the OEM starting the week of July 21, 2025. This new phase, dubbed the “OEM Test Run,” is designed to ensure a consistent, steady-state operation that will lay the foundation for enhanced recoveries and overall plant efficiency.

“As much as Premier is pleased with the initial progress to date, we were frustrated with the time needed to get the plant into a constant running state,” said Premier CEO George Roach. “Although, as reminded by our OEM, this is not a simple plant, and maintaining target operating parameters requires time and patience.”

Roach also praised the unwavering support Premier continues to receive from its team on the ground. “We remain deeply appreciative of the ongoing support we have from our contractors, staff, and shareholders. Civil construction for the alternative spodumene float section is now almost complete, which is planned to provide both a fallback option if needed and also the ability to expand Zulu’s existing process capacity of spodumene concentrate.”

This dual-float capability could not only mitigate operational risks but also position Zulu as a scalable lithium supply node at a time when global markets are demanding higher outputs from diversified sources.

The Zulu Lithium and Tantalum Project remains a flagship operation within Premier African Minerals’ diversified portfolio, which spans tungsten, lithium, rare earth elements, and gold across Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The Zulu site has been central to Premier’s lithium ambitions, and while challenges have plagued the operation—ranging from plant engineering issues to broader market pressures—this latest milestone signals a potential turning point.

The company’s strategy now hinges on the successful completion of the OEM Test Run. A steady-state operation would not only allow consistent concentrate production but also generate critical performance data that will inform further upgrades and downstream planning. If successful, this phase could finally set Zulu on course for sustained commercial production and improved investor confidence.

The broader lithium market, while currently volatile, continues to hold long-term promise with battery technology, electric vehicles, and renewable energy storage driving global demand. Premier’s ability to deliver a stable supply of battery-grade lithium from Zimbabwe could boost the country’s growing reputation as an attractive investment destination for energy minerals.

With Zimbabwe opening its doors wider to international capital and modernising its mining legislation, Premier’s progress at Zulu is a litmus test for the country’s readiness to deliver on its much-touted mining potential. The next few weeks at Zulu will be closely watched—not just by investors but also by the Zimbabwean government and global stakeholders in the green energy transition.

Kavango Strikes 13.6g/t Gold Over 10.4m at Bill’s Luck, Targets 250 tpd Production by 2026

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Kavango Strikes 13.6g/t Gold Over 10.4m at Bill’s Luck, Targets 250 tpd Production by 2026

London Stock Exchange-listed Kavango Resources plc, a Southern Africa-focused metals exploration and gold production company, has announced a second high-grade gold intercept at its Bill’s Luck Gold Mine within the Hillside Project in Zimbabwe.

By Ryan Chigoche

The latest underground drill hole intersected a gold-bearing structure at a vertical depth of 111.5 metres below surface, delivering a repeat assay grade of 13.60 grams per tonne (g/t) over 10.40 metres.

This includes exceptionally high-grade sections such as 98.74g/t over 0.77 metres and 48.50g/t over 2.81 metres. Additionally, a secondary zone graded 1.10g/t over 3.10 metres, revealing two distinct reefs.

This strong result builds on earlier promising findings from a drill hole announced in July 2025, which intersected 11.79g/t over 4.36 metres.

Kavango believes the main intercept represents the down-dip continuation of the Bill’s Luck Main Reef, while the secondary zone corresponds to a parallel reef within the hanging wall, confirming consistent mineralisation patterns from previous drilling.

Together, these findings confirm the presence of at least one high-grade “ore shoot” at Bill’s Luck that remains open at depth. This highlights the area’s strong exploration potential and bolsters plans for expanding the resource base.

Kavango Chief Executive Ben Turney highlighted the company’s progress at Bill’s Luck, saying:

“The ongoing underground drill programme at Bill’s Luck continues to deliver impressive results. This is the second high-grade intercept we’ve encountered, a short distance below our current mining level.

The hole intersected gold mineralisation grading at 13.6g/t over 10.40m, with two distinct reefs, following the 11.79g/t over 4.36m from hole BLDDUG004. This confirms that the main Bill’s Luck ore shoot remains open at depth and appears to be increasing in grade. Our team is highly encouraged by this, especially given the relatively limited drilling done so far. We are now moving confidently into the next phase of surface exploration.”

He added details on the next steps:

“The objective of the surface drilling will be to define a gold resource large enough to support mining and processing operations for at least three years. We will also test the width of the main Bill’s Luck ore shoot and explore the next inferred ore shoot at Roscor. If successful, this work will underpin the investment case for the 200 tonnes per day (tpd) pilot production plant.

In parallel, we will continue underground drilling for near-term mine planning. Construction of our 50 tpd test production plant is already underway, with commissioning expected later this year. If all goes to plan, our goal is to scale gold production capacity at Bill’s Luck to 250 tpd in the first half of 2026.”

The planned 250 tonnes per day (tpd) production represents a modest but meaningful scale for a junior miner like Kavango.

This scale offers several advantages, including lower upfront capital costs, quicker access to revenue, and the flexibility to expand production should the resource base grow. As Turney explains, this approach reflects the company’s intent to establish steady, small-to-medium scale commercial gold production within the next year.

With back-to-back high-grade drill results and clear production plans progressing, Kavango is positioning itself as a leading junior gold producer in Zimbabwe.

The company’s use of modern exploration techniques, phased production scaling, and promising resource potential fits well within Zimbabwe’s growing mining sector.

Kavango’s strategy focuses on exploring gold deposits in Zimbabwe with the potential for rapid development into commercial-scale production through modern mechanised mining and processing. The company is targeting both open-pit and underground opportunities.

Its two main projects lie on the Filabusi greenstone belt: Hillside and Nara. Kavango owns 100% of the Hillside Gold Project, having exercised its option in April 2024. At Hillside, the company has three high-priority targets it aims to bring into production within the next 18 months: Bill’s Luck, Steenbok, and Nightshift.

Bill’s Luck focuses on high-grade underground mineralisation, Nightshift is being investigated for a selective open-pit operation followed by underground mechanised mining, and Steenbok is targeted for high-grade mechanised underground mining. Kavango is currently analysing the latest drill data from Bill’s Luck and expects to provide further updates soon.

In June 2025, Kavango also secured 100% ownership of the Nara Gold Project. At Nara, the company is exploring a large-scale mechanisable underground gold deposit around the historic N1 mine, assessing opportunities to expand artisanal workings both at depth and along strike.

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