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Zimbabwe’s efforts to strengthen gold traceability and responsible sourcing are beginning to attract growing interest from international buyers, with Fidelity Gold Refinery (FGR) saying its compliance and digital tracking systems are opening new opportunities for engagement across the country’s gold value chain, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Rudairo Mapuranga

Speaking to Mining Zimbabwe on the sidelines of the Africa Down Under 2026 conference in Perth, FGR General Manager Peter Magaramombe said international players had been impressed by the steps Zimbabwe has taken to improve transparency and responsible sourcing within its gold supply chain.

“There is a lot of interest from international buyers who have been very impressed by our traceability systems and responsible sourcing framework,” Magaramombe said.

“We are seeing buyers who are not just interested in purchasing our gold, they want to be part of the entire value chain in Zimbabwe.”

The growing interest comes as Zimbabwe seeks to strengthen formal channels for gold production and marketing, particularly within the artisanal and small-scale mining sector, which has become the country’s largest contributor to recorded gold deliveries.

Traceability at the Centre

At the heart of FGR’s strategy is the development of systems designed to improve visibility across the gold supply chain.

The refinery has partnered with Commstack on a blockchain-based traceability initiative aimed at creating digital records that can help track gold through the formal supply chain.

FGR has also been rolling out its Gold Card initiative as part of broader efforts to improve the identification and formalisation of gold producers.

According to Magaramombe, strengthening traceability is becoming increasingly important as international markets place greater emphasis on understanding the origin of gold and the conditions under which it is produced.

“The Gold Card system has been a game-changer for us,” he said. “It gives confidence to buyers, financiers and Government that our gold is legally produced and ethically sourced.”

Responsible Sourcing and Compliance

FGR has also strengthened its internal compliance structures as it seeks to align its due diligence processes with internationally recognised responsible sourcing principles.

Magaramombe said the refinery had established compliance and risk management systems covering its upstream supply chain, including the assessment of risks associated with issues such as financial crime, human rights and regulatory compliance.

“We have aligned our due diligence processes with OECD guidelines,” he said.

For Zimbabwe, responsible sourcing is becoming increasingly important as global bullion markets, refiners and buyers demand greater transparency around the provenance of gold.

The issue is particularly significant for a country where artisanal and small-scale miners account for a substantial share of recorded gold deliveries. Bringing more of those producers into formal systems could help improve traceability while reducing opportunities for gold to move through informal channels.

Building the Supply Chain

Beyond compliance and traceability, FGR has continued to expand its support and buying infrastructure for small-scale miners.

Magaramombe said the refinery had extended funding and support to thousands of miners as part of efforts to strengthen production and improve participation in the formal gold economy.

FGR has also deployed mobile gold-buying units and expanded its network of formal buying channels to improve access for producers operating in remote mining areas.

“If there is gold, we want to be there,” Magaramombe said.

The strategy reflects the importance of accessibility in Zimbabwe’s efforts to formalise the sector. For many small-scale miners, the availability of nearby, reliable and transparent buying channels can play a significant role in determining whether gold enters the formal economy.

International Interest

Magaramombe said FGR’s efforts to strengthen transparency and responsible sourcing had generated encouraging feedback from international markets.

The refinery has also used international platforms to explain its approach to compliance and traceability, including engagements with players in major global precious metals markets.

“The feedback we have received has been very encouraging,” Magaramombe said. “International buyers now see Zimbabwe as a credible source of responsibly sourced gold, and they want to deepen their engagement with us.”

For Zimbabwe, translating that interest into concrete commercial partnerships could create opportunities beyond the sale of refined bullion.

Magaramombe said some international players were increasingly interested in participating in broader parts of the country’s gold value chain, potentially opening discussions around investment, financing, technology and supply-chain development.

The Bigger Opportunity

Zimbabwe’s gold sector has continued to grow, driven largely by strong contributions from artisanal and small-scale miners and sustained investment in production.

FGR is targeting further growth in gold deliveries in 2026, with the continued formalisation of small-scale mining expected to remain central to the sector’s expansion.

But as production increases, the question of provenance is likely to become just as important as volume.

International buyers are increasingly looking beyond the quality and purity of gold to understand where it comes from and whether producers and suppliers can demonstrate responsible sourcing practices.

That creates both an opportunity and a challenge for Zimbabwe.

The opportunity lies in building a gold supply chain capable of attracting buyers and investors seeking transparent and responsibly sourced material. The challenge will be ensuring that traceability systems are effectively implemented across a mining sector that includes thousands of artisanal and small-scale producers.

For FGR, the interest expressed by international players at Africa Down Under suggests that Zimbabwe’s efforts are beginning to gain attention.

“The interest we are seeing confirms that there is a market for responsibly sourced and traceable gold,” Magaramombe said. “We want Zimbabwe to be part of that market and to continue building a value chain that benefits the country.”

As Zimbabwe works to increase formal gold deliveries and strengthen its position in international bullion markets, FGR’s traceability and responsible sourcing drive could become an increasingly important part of the country’s broader investment proposition.

Zimbabwe School of Mines (ZSM) used the 24th Africa Down Under conference to build relationships with technology companies and mining education institutions as it seeks to ensure its training programmes keep pace with rapid technological changes transforming the global mining industry, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Rudairo Mapuranga

Speaking to Mining Zimbabwe following his engagements at the Perth conference, ZSM Principal Edwin Gwaze said the institution had specifically targeted companies and organisations that could contribute to the modernisation of its curriculum and training programmes.

“I came here obviously expecting to engage with technology companies,” Gwaze said. “This is very critical in also assisting in developing the curriculum of the Zimbabwe School of Mines so that we continue to produce graduates that are technologically savvy and graduates that know how to manipulate the current technologies.”

Technology and Training Opportunities

Gwaze said his engagements covered several areas relevant to modern mining, including drilling technology, analytical laboratories and emerging developments in gold processing.

The discussions formed part of ZSM’s efforts to expose its training programmes to the technologies increasingly being adopted across the global mining industry.

As mining operations become more reliant on automation, digital systems, advanced exploration techniques and modern processing technologies, training institutions face growing pressure to ensure graduates possess skills that meet the changing requirements of industry.

For ZSM, engagement with technology companies provides an opportunity to understand these developments and explore how they can be incorporated into the institution’s curriculum and practical training.

Engagement With Curtin University

Among the institutions Gwaze engaged with during Africa Down Under was Curtin University, one of Australia’s prominent institutions in mining education and research.

Gwaze said discussions with the university would continue beyond the conference as ZSM explores opportunities for future engagement.

“I’ve also had an opportunity to interact with Curtin University, and the engagements are still going to continue,” he said.

The discussions could potentially support knowledge sharing and collaboration as ZSM continues to strengthen its capacity to train professionals for Zimbabwe’s evolving mining industry.

Building on the Perth Engagements

While Africa Down Under provided the platform for the initial discussions, Gwaze said ZSM’s focus would now be on developing the relationships established during the conference.

“Going forward, we took quite a number of initiatives that we are still going to develop and also engage with those companies further to further enhance the Zimbabwe School of Mines training programmes,” he said.

The Perth engagements underline ZSM’s growing focus on ensuring that mining education keeps pace with technological developments across the industry.

For the institution, the real value of Africa Down Under will now lie in translating the contacts and discussions initiated in Perth into practical collaborations that strengthen training programmes and help prepare Zimbabwe’s next generation of mining professionals for an increasingly technology-driven industry.

Mutapa Investment Fund says its engagement at the Africa Down Under 2026 mining conference revealed strong investor interest in Zimbabwe, particularly in opportunities linked to mineral beneficiation and the country’s broader resource sector, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Rudairo Mapuranga

The sovereign wealth fund was part of Zimbabwe’s delegation to the Perth conference, where it engaged investors and industry players from Australia and other parts of the world to showcase opportunities available in the country’s mining and downstream mineral industries.

Speaking to Mining Zimbabwe following the conference, Mutapa Investment Fund Chief Investment Officer Simba Chinyemba said the level of interest and engagement had met — and exceeded — the fund’s expectations.

“I was expecting to meet a lot of investors that are interested in Zimbabwe, to also of course showcase our country, particularly the opportunities that exist in the beneficiation sector of our economy,” Chinyemba said.

“And I must say I was not disappointed.”

Strong Engagement With International Investors

According to Chinyemba, Africa Down Under provided Mutapa and the wider Zimbabwean delegation with direct access to investors who had travelled to Perth specifically to explore opportunities across Africa’s resource sector.

“There are a lot of investors here in Australia as well as from other parts of the world that actually flew down here to see Zimbabweans, to talk to us, to talk to Mutapa, to talk to the various companies with the delegation that came down,” he said.

The level of engagement, he added, was also evident in the attendance and participation at events organised by Zimbabwe’s delegation during the conference.

“You can witness that in the number of people that have come to a lot of events that were organised by the Zimbabwe delegation that were interested in hearing and in contributing to the various discussions regarding our country’s economy, particularly in the resource sector.”

For Mutapa, the conference provided more than an opportunity to promote Zimbabwe’s mineral wealth. It created a platform to engage potential investors and strategic partners around opportunities that could help unlock greater value from the country’s natural resources.

Beneficiation at the Centre of the Investment Case

A major focus of Mutapa’s engagement in Perth was Zimbabwe’s growing emphasis on mineral beneficiation.

The country is seeking to move further up the mining value chain by attracting investment into processing, refining and other downstream activities rather than relying primarily on the export of raw and semi-processed minerals.

That transition presents a significant opportunity for international investors with capital, technology and technical expertise.

Zimbabwe’s substantial endowment of minerals — including gold, platinum-group metals, lithium and chrome — provides the foundation for investment opportunities that extend beyond mining into mineral processing and value addition.

For Mutapa, attracting partners capable of participating in these downstream opportunities is becoming an increasingly important part of its broader investment mandate.

Africa Down Under provided a platform to test international appetite for that proposition.

Based on the engagements in Perth, Chinyemba said the interest was clearly there.

Mutapa’s Growing Role

The engagement comes as Mutapa Investment Fund continues to position itself as an important vehicle for the commercial development of strategic State assets.

The sovereign wealth fund has been working to strengthen corporate governance and introduce a stronger commercial focus across companies within its portfolio while seeking opportunities to attract investment and strategic partnerships.

Mining remains one of the most important sectors within Zimbabwe’s economy and a key component of the country’s investment proposition.

Mutapa’s participation at Africa Down Under demonstrated the fund’s growing role in engaging international capital and presenting opportunities linked to Zimbabwe’s strategic economic sectors.

Rather than simply promoting individual assets, the fund’s message in Perth centred on the broader opportunity presented by Zimbabwe’s resource economy and the potential for investors to participate in the country’s next phase of mining development.

From Perth Conversations to Investment Partnerships

The strong level of investor engagement identified by Mutapa now presents the next challenge: converting interest into concrete investment partnerships.

Africa Down Under brought together investors, mining companies, financiers and technical specialists from one of the world’s most sophisticated mining jurisdictions, giving Zimbabwean institutions direct access to potential partners.

For Mutapa, those relationships could prove important as it seeks capital and expertise to support investment across strategic sectors.

The fund’s presence in Perth also formed part of Zimbabwe’s broader effort to present a coordinated investment proposition to the international mining community.

The message was increasingly focused not simply on the country’s geological potential, but on opportunities to participate across the mining value chain — from resource development to beneficiation and downstream processing.

Chinyemba’s assessment of the conference suggests that Zimbabwe’s investment case is attracting attention.

For Mutapa Investment Fund, the task following Africa Down Under will be to build on that interest and develop the relationships formed in Perth into commercially viable partnerships.

PERTH, Australia — Australian investors are showing growing interest in Zimbabwe’s platinum-group metals (PGMs), lithium and chrome projects, particularly opportunities in mineral beneficiation, new technology and value addition, the Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe said.

By Ryan Chigoche

The enquiries come as Zimbabwe seeks to attract capital into projects that can process more of the country’s mineral output locally, creating opportunities across processing, technology and supporting infrastructure.

The interest could give fresh momentum to Zimbabwe’s push to move up the mineral value chain, as the country tightens controls on less-processed minerals and looks for investors capable of bringing the capital and technology needed to expand domestic beneficiation. Lithium is at the forefront of that drive, while PGMs and chrome offer further opportunities in processing, refining and smelting.

Speaking to Mining Zimbabwe on the sidelines of the Africa Down Under Conference in Perth, Australia, Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe chief executive Dr Isaac Kwesu said investors were indicating plans to visit Zimbabwe to assess projects requiring beneficiation and innovation, particularly in PGMs, lithium and chrome.

“We have seen not just demonstrations, but also investors trying by all means to commit and promising that they want to visit Zimbabwe. And see a number of projects that require beneficiation, innovation, specifically in the PGMs, lithium and chrome,” Kwesu said.

The timing is particularly significant for lithium, where Zimbabwe is pushing producers further up the processing chain. The Government has set January 2027 as the deadline for ending exports of lithium concentrate, following its earlier ban on unprocessed lithium ore. The policy is designed to encourage investment in domestic processing and increase the value captured before lithium leaves the country.

That transition, however, still requires additional processing capacity. Arcadia, operated by Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe, is currently the country’s only operating lithium sulphate plant, while other projects remain under development. The gap between the policy deadline and available processing capacity creates an opening for investors with the capital and technology to expand the country’s processing base.

The opportunity extends beyond lithium. In PGMs, Zimbabwe has scope to deepen processing and refining, while chrome offers opportunities in beneficiation and ferrochrome production. Together, the three minerals represent some of the clearest areas where investment can help shift the mining industry from simply producing raw materials towards higher-value output.

But Kwesu’s assessment suggests investors are looking at a much wider proposition than individual beneficiation projects. Enquiries are coming from companies interested in finding new deposits, expanding existing operations and bringing technology into an industry where the scope for modernisation extends from exploration through to production and processing.

“…a lot of enquiries have been realised from those who want to participate on the mining value chain. So much interest in exploration, those who want to explore the green fields, those who want to participate in the brown fields. Those who want to participate in the existing mainstream mining, the value addition. Those who think they can bring new technology and innovation to our mining industry,” Kwesu said.

That breadth of interest is significant because it widens the potential investment pool beyond mining companies to businesses that supply and service the sector. Suppliers are making enquiries about Zimbabwe’s mining market and opportunities to provide equipment, consumables and other services to producers.

The same applies to energy, where interest reflects the need for dependable power to support both mining operations and the processing facilities required to deepen beneficiation.

For Zimbabwe, the immediate task is to turn those enquiries into site visits, technical assessments, feasibility studies and financing. The investor conversation is increasingly moving beyond what can be mined to what can be processed, upgraded and built around Zimbabwe’s mineral resources.

The test now is whether that interest can translate into bankable projects and long-term capital commitments.

Zimbabwe’s mining industry has lost one of its pioneering indigenous entrepreneurs following the death of Zambezi Gas and Coal Mine Managing Director Edward Raradza, who died in Harare on Friday evening at the age of 79.

By Rudairo Mapuranga

Raradza leaves behind a significant legacy in Zimbabwe’s coal mining industry, where he emerged as a leading advocate and example of indigenous participation in the ownership and development of the country’s mineral resources.

Through Zambezi Gas and Coal Mine, Raradza demonstrated that Zimbabweans could play a direct role in establishing, owning and operating major mining enterprises in an industry historically dominated by foreign and large corporate interests.

His family confirmed his death, saying relatives were still coming to terms with the loss.

“I can confirm that father passed away late yesterday, around before 8:00pm last night. It was a shock to the family. We’re still trying to process it and accept that this is what has happened,” family representative Mr Mathew Raradza said.

Zambezi Gas and Coal Mine Deputy Managing Director Mr Linos Masimura described Raradza as a visionary leader whose contribution extended beyond the development of coal and gas resources.

“We have lost a leader whose legacy was defined not only by the coal and gas resources he helped develop, but by his belief that Zimbabweans must be active participants in the ownership and development of Zimbabwe’s natural resources, while communities must share in the benefits of that development,” Masimura said.

He said the company would continue to pursue Raradza’s vision of a mining industry that creates opportunities for Zimbabweans while contributing to the development of communities hosting mining operations.

Raradza’s contribution to the sector was also recognised by Hwange Colliery Company Limited Administrator Mr Munashe Shava, who said the late mining entrepreneur had helped demonstrate the potential for indigenous Zimbabweans to participate meaningfully in large-scale mining.

“Cde Raradza played an important role in the coal mining sector. He demonstrated that indigenous Zimbabweans can invest, own and operate major mining enterprises, and his contribution helped strengthen the participation of local business in Zimbabwe’s coal industry,” Shava said.

Beyond mining, Raradza also built a legacy around community development in Matabeleland North, particularly in and around Hwange, where Zambezi Gas and Coal Mine supported a range of education, health, water and infrastructure initiatives.

Matabeleland North Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Honourable Richard Moyo, said Raradza’s contribution to the province extended well beyond his business interests.

“Cde Raradza was not only a mining entrepreneur, he was a development partner to the people of Matabeleland North. His legacy is reflected in the jobs he created and in the communities, schools, health facilities and water infrastructure that benefited from his work,” Moyo said.

Under Raradza’s leadership, Zambezi Gas supported mobile science laboratories in Matabeleland North to promote practical STEM education and provided ventilators during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The company also participated in the desiltation of dams in Hwange to improve water availability, constructed classroom blocks in Hwange District and supported water provision in surrounding communities.

The initiatives reflected Raradza’s belief that mining should create benefits beyond the extraction of minerals, particularly for communities hosting mining operations.

His death marks the passing of a businessman whose career became closely associated with the growth of indigenous participation in Zimbabwe’s coal mining industry. Through his work at Zambezi Gas and Coal Mine, Raradza helped advance the idea that Zimbabweans could move beyond being beneficiaries of the country’s mineral wealth to becoming direct participants in its ownership and development.

As mourners gather in Harare, funeral arrangements are expected to be announced in due course.

PERTH, Australia — The Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe has described the 2026 Africa Down Under (ADU) conference as a major platform for Zimbabwe’s mining industry, citing stronger participation and a larger national delegation as the country deepens engagement with the Australian mining and investment community, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Ryan Chigoche

The 24th edition of ADU, held from September 2 to 4 in Perth, brought together investors, mining companies, financiers, governments and service providers focused on Africa’s mining and energy sectors.

Speaking to Mining Zimbabwe on the sidelines of the conference, Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe chief executive Dr Isaac Kwesu said the event had grown in scale, while Zimbabwe had also expanded its presence.

“As you may have noticed, it has been an overwhelming success. The growth of Africa Down Under, from the organiser perspective, it was well attended. Both in the conferencing, side events, as well as the exhibition.”

Kwesu said Zimbabwe’s delegation had been larger than in previous editions, giving the country a stronger presence across the conference’s meetings, exhibition and networking sessions.

“For Zimbabwe, I think the key highlights have been that we have seen an increased number of attendees. The number of delegates, that is the size of our delegation, has been very large.”

The expanded presence comes as Zimbabwe seeks to put its mining opportunities directly before Australian investors and companies with expertise spanning exploration, mining, technology, mineral processing and services.

ADU’s format, which combines conference sessions, exhibitions and face-to-face business engagements, has become an important meeting point between Australia’s mining industry and African resource markets. The organisers describe it as the largest African-focused mining event held outside Africa.

For Zimbabwe, the value of that platform extends beyond the conference itself. A dedicated Zimbabwe Mining and Energy Investment Forum was held alongside ADU on September 4, bringing investors and financiers together with policymakers, industry leaders and project promoters to discuss opportunities across the mining and energy value chains.

Kwesu said the Zimbabwean delegation was broad enough to engage businesses with interests extending beyond mining, including energy and other sectors linked to mineral development.

That wider representation reflects the increasingly integrated nature of mining investment, where decisions around new mines are closely linked to power, infrastructure, equipment, technology and financing.

For Zimbabwe, the measure of the conference will ultimately lie in what follows the meetings in Perth. The Government and industry will now need to turn the contacts made at ADU into detailed project discussions, site visits, partnerships and investment decisions.

Kwesu said Zimbabwe would be looking for an even stronger showing at the next edition of the conference.

Zimbabwe went to Africa Down Under (ADU) to attract mining capital. After three days of meetings in Perth, the Government says it is returning home with a clearer sense of what companies want before they commit money to Zimbabwe, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Ryan Chigoche

Deputy Mines Minister Dr Caleb Makwiranzou, who led the Zimbabwean delegation, told Mining Zimbabwe that investors at the conference were not simply asking about the country’s mineral wealth.

They were approaching officials with specific commodity requirements, seeking to understand how they could enter the market and testing whether Zimbabwe could provide the conditions needed to develop projects.

“Firstly, there has been serious exploration of interest. My delegation has been asked by various investors with specific commodity requirements. Some have come and inquired from us how they can be facilitated,” Makwiranzou said.

That distinction matters for Zimbabwe as it seeks to turn its mineral endowment into a broader investment pipeline.

The conversations gave officials a more targeted picture of where investor interest lies, with the delegation recording specific interests against particular commodities so they could be pursued after the conference.

“We have been allocating names to specific commodities so that investors can be able to follow up when the conference is finished,” Makwiranzou said.

The exercise effectively turns ADU from a three-day promotional event into the beginning of a follow-up process, with the Government now able to distinguish between general interest in Zimbabwe and enquiries linked to particular minerals and potential opportunities.

But the questions coming from investors were also revealing.

Power emerged as one of the practical issues that could determine whether interest develops into investment.

Makwiranzou said investors questioned the delegation about electricity availability for mining and were told that ZESA could support projects, while companies requiring additional capacity could establish independent power plants.

The discussions underscored a reality facing Zimbabwe’s mining ambitions: attracting capital is only one part of the equation. Investors also need confidence that large, energy-intensive projects can operate reliably once they are built.

The more strategic lesson from Perth, however, was around the type of capital Zimbabwe should be targeting.

Makwiranzou pointed to discussions around Australian government-backed efforts to stockpile minerals such as vanadium and rare earths, saying they demonstrated the value of investors willing to take a longer-term view of strategic mineral supply.

“We have heard that some companies have been financed by the Australian government to stockpile certain minerals like vanadium and rare earths. So we have said that if they have patient capital, they are welcome to Zimbabwe,” he said.

For Zimbabwe, that opens a different conversation from the traditional search for capital to develop immediately profitable mines.

Some mineral opportunities require time, exploration and the development of processing capacity before their full commercial value can be realised. Attracting investors prepared to absorb that longer horizon could therefore be critical if Zimbabwe wants to expand into minerals beyond its established producers.

ADU also reinforced the importance of information.

Makwiranzou said the conference had shown that Zimbabwe’s exploration activity remains out of step with the breadth of its mineral endowment, with more than 60 minerals identified in the country.

The Government invited exploration companies to register their interest in a geoscience programme that would use modern geological surveys, including airborne surveys, to generate data capable of identifying new opportunities.

The lesson is not simply that Zimbabwe needs more exploration. It is that investors need enough geological certainty to justify the risk of exploration capital in the first place.

That creates a natural link between the Government’s geological ambitions and the investor conversations in Perth: better data can make mineral opportunities easier to assess, while more exploration can expand the pool of projects available to investors.

The discussions also showed that investors are looking beyond the mine itself.

Zimbabwe wants capital that can help develop processing capacity and create industries around its mineral resources, rather than simply expanding shipments of raw material.

Makwiranzou pointed to lithium as an example, saying the country wants to move towards products such as lithium sulphate and ultimately use mineral processing as a foundation for industries such as battery manufacturing.

“We have stressed, however, that we have moved away from exporting ore. We are exporting processed minerals,” he said.

That ambition, however, brings the conversation back to capital and to the kind of investors Zimbabwe can attract.

The Government now has specific commodity enquiries to follow up, exploration companies to engage and a better understanding of the practical concerns investors are raising around projects.

For them, that is the real value of the Perth conference.

Zimbabwe did not simply get an opportunity to tell investors what it has. It got to hear what investors need before they are prepared to put their money behind it.

The next measure of ADU’s success will therefore be outside the conference hall — in the exploration programmes, project negotiations and investment commitments that emerge from the conversations held in Perth.

Zimbabwe’s artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector is seeking to deepen its engagement with Australian investors, equipment manufacturers and mining-services companies, with the Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) using the Africa Down Under 2026 platform to market opportunities in one of the country’s most productive segments of the mining industry, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Rudairo Mapuranga

ZMF President Henrietta Rushwaya was unable to attend the conference in person, but the Federation’s delegation, led in part by Mashonaland West Chairman Timothy Chizuzu, used the Perth gathering to promote Zimbabwe’s ASM opportunities and highlight areas where Australian capital, technology and expertise could support the sector’s next phase of development.

The engagement focused on mechanisation, mineral processing, geological development, formalisation and access to appropriately structured finance.

The timing is significant.

Zimbabwe’s ASM sector has become a major contributor to national gold production. In 2025, the country recorded 46.73 tonnes of gold deliveries, with small-scale miners accounting for approximately 34.9 tonnes.

ASM therefore contributed roughly three-quarters of Zimbabwe’s recorded gold deliveries during the year, reinforcing the sector’s growing importance to the country’s mining economy.

The figures also strengthen the argument that the next opportunity lies not simply in increasing the number of miners, but in improving the productivity, recovery rates, safety and commercial structure of operations already underway.

“The question is no longer whether Zimbabwe has mining opportunities,” Chizuzu said. “The question is who will partner with us to unlock the next level.”

From Production to Productivity

For ZMF, mechanisation is one of the most immediate opportunities.

Many small-scale mining operations have access to mineralised ground but lack the capital required to acquire compressors, drilling equipment, pumps, generators, loaders, milling equipment and other machinery needed to increase production and improve safety.

That creates an opportunity for Australian equipment manufacturers and mining-services companies to develop commercial models suited to Zimbabwe’s ASM environment.

Potential structures include equipment leasing, hire-purchase arrangements, supplier credit, production-linked financing and joint ventures.

The opportunity is therefore not limited to investors seeking direct ownership of mining assets. Equipment suppliers, contractors and technical-service companies can also participate by providing the machinery and expertise required to move operations from predominantly manual methods towards greater mechanisation.

Recovery Could Be as Important as Mining More

Processing technology is another potential area of investment.

For many small-scale miners, increasing value does not necessarily mean extracting significantly more ore. Better processing and recovery systems can potentially increase the amount of gold recovered from material already being mined.

Modern crushing and milling systems, gravity concentration technology, improved recovery circuits and shared processing facilities could give groups of miners access to technology that may be too expensive for individual operators.

Such facilities could also support the development of commercially viable processing businesses serving multiple mining operations.

Turning Mining Claims into Investment Assets

Geological definition presents another opportunity.

Many small-scale operations have demonstrated mineralisation but lack the detailed geological information required to attract sophisticated investors or develop mines systematically.

Investment in geological mapping, geophysics, drilling, sampling, resource modelling and mine planning could help transform individual mining claims into better-defined and potentially more investable assets.

This creates opportunities for exploration companies, geological consultancies, drilling contractors and mining-technology providers.

The longer-term objective is to move operations away from reliance on historical workings and visible mineralisation towards decisions based on stronger geological information and structured mine planning.

The Need for Appropriate Capital

Access to finance remains one of the sector’s major constraints.

Traditional commercial lending can be difficult for small-scale mining operations because projects may have uncertain production profiles, limited geological information and insufficient conventional collateral.

ZMF is therefore promoting financing approaches that are more closely aligned with mining economics.

These could include equipment finance, joint ventures, production-linked financing, offtake arrangements and project-specific investment structures.

Such models could allow investors to participate in production while giving miners access to the machinery and working capital required to expand operations.

Zimbabwe’s Diaspora as a Link to Australia

The Federation is also looking towards Zimbabweans living and working in Australia as a potential link between the two mining economies.

Australia’s mining industry employs professionals across geology, mining engineering, metallurgy, environmental management, finance, law and other specialist fields — areas where Zimbabwean professionals are also represented.

For ZMF, the diaspora presents an opportunity to connect Zimbabwean mining projects with Australian expertise, suppliers, investors and professional networks.

The contribution could therefore extend beyond remittances to include technical knowledge, business relationships, investment partnerships and the transfer of mining standards and expertise.

Formalisation Must Accompany Growth

The Federation’s drive to attract investment is also linked to the formalisation of ASM.

The sector’s rapid growth has brought significant economic benefits, but it continues to face challenges involving mine safety, environmental management, occupational health, processing efficiency and regulatory compliance.

Greater investment, ZMF argues, should therefore be accompanied by better mining practices.

That includes improved occupational health and safety, responsible water management, environmental protection and progressive rehabilitation.

The challenge is to formalise the sector while retaining the entrepreneurial activity that has enabled ASM to become such an important contributor to national production.

Ball Mine Provides a Developing Model

One of the examples associated with ZMF’s approach is the Ball Mine operation in Mutawatawa.

Through its special-purpose vehicle FS Mining, ZMF partnered with Chinese mining company Anhua Chenxi Mining to establish RR Mining as part of efforts to bring miners into a more structured commercial arrangement following years of conflict and illegal mining activity at the operation.

According to information released by ZMF, hundreds of miners have been registered under the arrangement, with the longer-term target reaching 1,000 participants.

The project also involves the introduction of mining equipment and improved production systems, while gold produced through the arrangement is channelled through a formal structure.

The Ball Mine initiative provides an example of how formalisation, equipment access, technical support and structured gold sales can potentially be combined within a single operating model.

For ZMF, such arrangements could provide a template for addressing some of the structural challenges facing ASM elsewhere in Zimbabwe.

A Changing Regulatory Environment

The Perth engagement comes as Zimbabwe continues to adjust its mining regulatory framework.

In May 2026, Government approved a review of selected mining fees, including reductions affecting mineral dealers, exploration activities and processing-related operations.

Among the announced changes was a reduction in the registration fee for precious-stone dealers from US$15,000 to US$10,000, while the fee for exploration sample export permits was reduced from US$1,875 to US$500.

Government also introduced lower charges for a number of other mining-related activities, including gold jewellery manufacturing and lithium-processing plant registration.

For ASM operators, however, the impact of lower fees will ultimately depend on whether reforms are accompanied by improved access to mining rights, geological information, equipment, finance and markets.

From Conference Engagement to Commercial Opportunities

For ZMF, the objective of its presence in Perth extends beyond conference visibility.

The Federation is seeking to establish connections through which credible Zimbabwean mining opportunities can be introduced to Australian companies capable of providing capital, technology, equipment and technical services.

That could include partnerships involving equipment supply, exploration, processing, environmental services, mine development and structured finance.

Chizuzu encouraged potential partners to go beyond conference discussions and visit Zimbabwe’s mining districts to assess opportunities directly.

Such engagement would allow prospective investors and service providers to examine operations, understand the geological and operating environment, engage miners and interact with relevant Government and investment institutions.

The Investment Opportunity

Zimbabwe’s ASM sector has already demonstrated its ability to produce at significant scale. The next challenge is converting that production capacity into a more mechanised, technically defined, safer and commercially sustainable mining industry.

For Australian companies, the opportunity extends across the mining value chain.

Equipment manufacturers can supply machinery. Exploration companies can help define resources. Processing specialists can improve recovery. Professional-services firms can provide technical expertise. Financial institutions and private investors can develop structures suited to mining operations.

Zimbabwe, meanwhile, brings an established mining workforce, significant mineral potential and an ASM sector that is already generating substantial gold production.

With approximately 34.9 tonnes of gold delivered by small-scale miners in 2025, the sector has demonstrated that it is too significant to be treated as a marginal component of Zimbabwe’s mining industry.

The challenge now is to attract the technology, capital and expertise required to turn that production base into a more productive and formalised sector.

Zimbabwe is looking to Australia’s mining industry for lessons on how to turn its mineral wealth into a bigger industrial opportunity, as the country steps up its efforts to attract investment at the Africa Down Under (ADU) conference in Perth, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Ryan Chigoche

For the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (ZIDA), Australia offers a useful example of what can happen when mining grows beyond the extraction of minerals and supports a wider network of businesses and industries.

Australia has built a mining economy that includes exploration, mining, processing, engineering, equipment and specialised services. Zimbabwe wants to develop more of those activities around its own mineral resources.

Speaking to Mining Zimbabwe on the sidelines of the ADU conference, ZIDA chief executive Tafadzwa Chinamo said Australia had shown what countries with significant mineral and energy resources could achieve.

“After ADU 2026, we are here again as ZIDA because this is a very important conference for us. Australia is key in terms of mining development and has demonstrated to the rest of the world what countries with energy and mineral endowments can achieve.

“We are in a similar situation. We have the minerals, and if we follow a similar path to Australia, we can unlock significant value from our resources.”

The comparison comes at a time when Zimbabwe is trying to move more of its mining industry towards beneficiation and value addition.

The country has attracted investment into lithium, gold, platinum group metals, chrome and other minerals, but turning those resources into a larger economic base will require more than new mines.

Processing plants, engineering companies, mining equipment suppliers and technical services will also need to grow alongside the mines.

That is one area where Australia could offer Zimbabwe practical opportunities, with its mining companies and service providers bringing experience in areas the country is trying to develop.

For ZIDA, however, attracting that investment starts with helping companies understand how they can enter the Zimbabwean market.

Chinamo said some investors were already familiar with Zimbabwe’s mineral potential but needed greater clarity on what to do next.

“It was important for us to engage investors in their own country. They like Zimbabwe, they like our geology, but sometimes they just don’t know what to do next. This is why we come here to address those doubts and assure them that ZIDA is there to support them and help them achieve what they want to do in Zimbabwe,” Chinamo added.

That puts ZIDA at the point where investor interest has to be turned into actual projects.

The agency’s role is to help investors navigate the process, identify opportunities and connect with the relevant institutions and partners in Zimbabwe.

For Australian companies, the opportunity therefore extends beyond putting money into individual mines. There is also room to participate in the infrastructure, technology, processing and services needed to support Zimbabwe’s expanding mining industry.

That could help Zimbabwe capture more value from its resources while creating a stronger local supply chain around mining.

Australia’s experience shows that a mining industry can become much larger than the mines themselves. Zimbabwe is now trying to build that same depth around its own mineral wealth.

Perth, Australia — International investors are showing growing interest in Zimbabwe’s mining sector, with the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) seeking to turn engagements at the Africa Down Under (ADU) conference into investment partnerships and new markets for local mineral producers, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Ryan Chigoche

The interest was among the key takeaways for the corporation from the Perth conference, which brings together mining companies, investors, governments and other industry players from across Africa, Australia and other parts of the world.

For MMCZ, the engagements offered an opportunity to present Zimbabwe’s mineral potential while connecting investors with producers looking for capital, partnerships and access to international markets.

Speaking to Mining Zimbabwe on the sidelines of the ADU conference, MMCZ General Manager Dr Nomusa Jane Moyo said the discussions had shown that investors were willing to explore opportunities in Zimbabwe.

“From ADU, we have taken away a lot of key insights. There is clear interest in Zimbabwe, and investors are prepared to come to the country. We have promised to support them by linking them with potential partners, including small-scale miners. We have also undertaken to ensure that whatever is produced in Zimbabwe finds lucrative markets, so that we can maximise value from our minerals for both the country and investors,” Moyo said.

The interest comes at a time when Zimbabwe’s mining sector is delivering record export earnings. The country generated US$5.73 billion from mineral exports in the first half of 2026, while MMCZ facilitated mineral exports worth US$2.532 billion during the period.

The strong performance comes as the Government pushes for more investment in processing and beneficiation. The policy shift is particularly evident in lithium, where producers are being encouraged to move beyond the export of raw minerals and concentrates.

That is creating a new market opportunity for MMCZ. As Zimbabwe produces more processed minerals, finding competitive and reliable buyers will become increasingly important.

It also strengthens the case for bringing investors closer to local producers. Small-scale miners, in particular, often have access to mineral resources but lack the capital, technology and international market connections needed to expand their operations.

MMCZ’s plan to link these producers with potential investors could help address some of those constraints while giving investors access to a broader base of mineral supply.

The corporation’s approach also comes as Zimbabwe seeks to attract capital across the mining value chain. The opportunities extend from exploration and extraction to processing, marketing and downstream manufacturing.

For investors, the attraction is therefore not limited to Zimbabwe’s mineral deposits. There is also scope to participate in the infrastructure, processing capacity and commercial networks needed to develop those resources.

ADU has given MMCZ a platform to make those connections. The next step will be turning the interest generated in Perth into partnerships and investment on the ground.

For Zimbabwe, the test will be whether the growing investor interest can translate into new capital, stronger local production and better returns from the country’s mineral resources.