Mining ZimbabweLatest Mining News, Policy and Industry Updates

For decades, Zimbabwe’s mining industry has been defined by its vast mineral wealth. From gold and platinum to lithium, chrome and coal, the country possesses some of the world’s most sought-after mineral resources. Yet the real challenge has never been finding minerals. The challenge has always been extracting maximum value from them, ensuring that the benefits are widely shared, and building an industry capable of sustaining growth for generations.

It is against this backdrop that the Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe has chosen the fitting theme for its Annual Mining Conference and Exhibition 2026: “Unlock Value, Maximise Benefits, Sustain Growth.”

The theme captures the fundamental question facing Zimbabwe’s mining sector today: How can the country move beyond simply extracting minerals and instead create lasting value that benefits investors, communities and the national economy?

The answer begins with unlocking value.

Zimbabwe’s mineral resources are among its greatest economic assets, but value is not created underground. Value is created through exploration, investment, technology, processing, beneficiation and efficient production. Every ounce of gold discovered through modern exploration, every tonne of lithium processed locally, and every platinum project that advances along the value chain creates opportunities that extend far beyond the mine gate.

Unlocking value also means embracing innovation. The global mining industry is rapidly changing. Artificial intelligence, automation, renewable energy solutions and digital technologies are transforming the way mines operate. Countries that fail to adapt risk being left behind. Zimbabwe’s mining industry must therefore continue investing in technology, skills development and modern mining practices to remain competitive in an increasingly demanding global market.

But value creation alone is not enough.

The second pillar of the conference theme focuses on maximising benefits.

Mining must deliver tangible benefits to all stakeholders. Investors must receive fair returns on capital. Government must realise revenue through taxes, royalties and export earnings. Communities must benefit through employment, infrastructure development and social investment. Workers must gain access to sustainable livelihoods and improved standards of living.

The conversation around benefits is becoming increasingly important as citizens demand greater transparency regarding the contribution of mining to economic development. Investors are also paying closer attention to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) performance, making responsible mining practices an economic necessity rather than a public relations exercise.

The growing emphasis on ESG reporting demonstrates that mining companies are no longer judged solely by production volumes and profitability. They are increasingly assessed on how they manage environmental impacts, engage local communities and contribute to sustainable development.

This shift presents an opportunity for Zimbabwe’s mining sector. Companies that successfully align profitability with responsible business practices will be better positioned to attract international investment and secure access to global markets.

The third pillar of the theme is sustaining growth.

Growth that depends entirely on commodity price cycles is vulnerable. Sustainable growth requires strong institutions, supportive policies, adequate infrastructure and long-term investment.

Zimbabwe’s mining industry has demonstrated remarkable resilience despite global economic uncertainty, fluctuating commodity prices and operational challenges. However, maintaining momentum will require continued collaboration between government, industry, financiers and development partners.

The conference programme reflects this reality. Discussions on gold, platinum group metals, lithium, coal, oil and gas, ESG reporting, mining finance, foreign exchange reforms, infrastructure development and energy security all point towards a common objective: creating an environment where mining can continue to grow while generating greater value for the nation.

Particular attention is being given to value addition and beneficiation, especially in the lithium and platinum sectors. These conversations recognise that exporting raw minerals captures only a fraction of their potential value. Processing minerals closer to source creates jobs, stimulates industrialisation and increases export earnings.

Equally important are discussions around capital mobilisation. Mining is a capital-intensive industry, and unlocking the sector’s full potential requires access to financing. The participation of financial institutions, stock market experts and international investors highlights the growing recognition that sustainable mining growth depends on adequate and affordable capital.

As delegates gather in Victoria Falls, the message is clear. Zimbabwe’s mining future cannot be built on extraction alone. It must be built on value creation, responsible stewardship and long-term planning.

Unlocking value means discovering new opportunities and improving productivity. Maximising benefits means ensuring mining contributes meaningfully to national development. Sustaining growth means creating an industry capable of thriving through changing economic cycles and evolving global market demands.

Together, these three objectives form a roadmap for the future of Zimbabwean mining.

The minerals beneath the ground represent potential. The real opportunity lies in what Zimbabwe chooses to do with them.

If the country can successfully unlock value, maximise benefits and sustain growth, mining will continue to be one of the most powerful drivers of economic transformation, industrial development and national prosperity for decades to come.

• Zimbabwe’s US$15 Million Gold Policy: Not a Barrier, But a Filter for Accountability

When the Zimbabwean government announced that foreign investors in the gold sector must declare investment of at least US$15 million, the headlines wrote themselves: “Zimbabwe shuts the door on foreign small-scale miners.” But that reading misses the point entirely, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Rudairo Mapuranga

The policy is not a demand for upfront cash. It is a demand for a plan, for accountability, and for mathematics that actually add up. The government is not asking foreign companies to deposit millions on day one. It is asking them to show a credible, monitorable investment roadmap and then to deliver gold outputs that match the scale of their operations.

Math, after all, does not lie.

The Misunderstanding: Why US$15 Million Sounds Like a Barrier

Let us be clear about what the policy actually requires. The government has defined small-scale gold mining as operations producing up to 20 kilograms of gold per month or with capital investment of up to US$15 million. Foreign entities already operating below that threshold have until 1 January 2027 to scale up beyond it or exit.

But here is what the critics have conveniently ignored: the US$15 million figure refers to a planned investment over the life of a project, not a bank deposit required before a single shovel hits the ground.

A foreign company does not need to arrive with a suitcase full of cash. What it must do is present to the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (ZIDA) a structured, verifiable breakdown of how it intends to invest. The costs are well understood by anyone who has ever developed a mine:

• Land acquisition and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for a 300-hectare claim: approximately US$20,000

• Exploration phases: IP geophysics, trenching, and diamond drilling — typically US$2 million to US$3 million for a thorough exploration programme

• Post-exploration development capital once reserves are proven: the remaining investment required to bring the mine into full production

The government is not saying, “Show us the money in a bank account.” It is saying, “Show us your plan, and let us track your progress.” That is not a barrier to serious investment. It is a barrier to fly-by-night operators who want to grab gold and vanish.

The Simple Arithmetic That Exposed the Problem

To understand why this policy exists, consider a case that came to light in Silobela. According to media reports, a mining syndicate operating in the area—described in some accounts as having foreign links—was found to have declared unusually low gold deliveries to Fidelity Gold Refinery despite operating carbon-in-pulp and heap leach plants.

Reports indicated that the company processed over 3,000 kilograms of ore monthly but declared less than 4 kilograms of gold to Fidelity over an entire year. Internal records, according to investigative reports, later showed that significant quantities of gold were being produced off the books. Private couriers were allegedly ferrying smelted gold bars directly to destinations outside Zimbabwe.

Government calculations cited in media reports suggested that between May and June 2024 alone, heap leaching at the site generated substantial revenue—none of which was declared to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe or ZIMRA.

When you stand at the edge of a community that has seen its rivers poisoned, its children become sick, and its gold disappear into private jets, you understand why the government wants more than vague promises.

“That is not mining,” a senior mining official told Mining Zimbabwe, speaking anonymously. “That is robbery disguised as investment. Our problem is not with investors who want to build. It is with those who come to loot and leave nothing behind.”

Beyond Arithmetic: Reports of Widespread Leakages

Silobela is not an isolated case. Across Zimbabwe, media investigations have documented a pattern: large-scale industrial methods paired with astonishingly low gold deliveries to Fidelity. The maths, according to multiple reports, simply does not add up.

In Shurugwi, reports have described extensive environmental damage allegedly linked to foreign-operated mining activities, including vegetation clearing and river pollution from heap leaching operations. Local communities have been quoted in media reports expressing frustration over water sources turning toxic while gold reportedly disappeared.

In Mutoko, court records show that a company owned by a foreign national was convicted of stealing thousands of tonnes of gold ore. The court ordered the company to pay millions in restitution—a fraction, according to prosecutors, of the value of what was taken.

Even more disturbing, media reports have documented an incident in which a foreign national allegedly shot and killed a Zimbabwean worker at a Mutoko mine. The case reignited public fury over foreign operators who seemed to operate above the law, with little accountability.

Then there was the gold tampering scandal. According to industry sources and media reports, authorities discovered that some foreign operators were adulterating gold bars with tungsten—a dense metal that mimics gold’s weight. Deliveries to Fidelity reportedly contained as little as 30 percent actual gold. Fidelity, reports state, was forced to buy specialised XRF machines costing thousands of dollars each just to detect the fraud.

“These operators were not investors,” a source familiar with the investigations told Mining Zimbabwe. “They were extractors. They took everything and gave nothing back—not gold, not taxes, not jobs, not development.”

The US$15 Million Threshold: A Filter, Not a Barrier

The government’s response has been to draw a clear line. If a foreign company wants to operate in Zimbabwe’s gold sector, it must demonstrate a credible, monitorable investment plan. That plan must include:

1. Land acquisition and EIA costs
2. A phased exploration budget covering IP geophysics, trenching, and diamond drilling
3. Post-exploration development capital
4. A production target above 20 kilograms of gold per month
5. Transparent gold delivery records to Fidelity that match processing volumes

The company does not need to deposit US$15 million upfront. It needs to show ZIDA a breakdown of how it will invest that amount over the life of the project. Exploration alone typically costs US$2 million to US$3 million. The remainder is post-exploration capital once reserves are proven.

Moreover, the policy requires that 98 percent of mine management be Zimbabwean, embedding local expertise and oversight from the start. Every mining title requires verification of beneficial ownership, corporate structures, and production records.

This is not a barrier to serious investment. It is a filter that separates genuine investors from speculative extractors.

Hazel Karoro, Secretary General of the Association of Junior Mining Professionals of Zimbabwe (AJMPZ), told Mining Zimbabwe that the key is to differentiate between vague promises and committed investment.

“The government is right to demand a detailed, monitorable plan that aligns mining scale with gold deliveries,” Karoro explained. “It is the only way to separate serious foreign investors from speculative extractors who have no intention of building anything permanent.”

The Right Way: Local Mines as the Model

Contrast the reports of foreign syndicates with mines like Jena Mine. Jena is Zimbabwean-owned. It was producing around 20 kilograms of gold per month on average and is now producing 40 kilograms, with intentions to increase output to 100 kilograms. It employs hundreds of local people. It delivers its gold consistently to Fidelity. It reinvests in the community.

No one is banning Jena. No one wants to. Jena is exactly the kind of operation the government wants to protect and encourage.

The difference could not be clearer. A transparent, locally owned mine operates openly, pays taxes, and contributes to the national economy. The foreign syndicates described in media reports operated in the shadows, were accused of smuggling gold, polluted rivers, and allegedly left nothing behind.

The policy does not punish investment. It punishes extraction without accountability. And it finally gives local miners the legal space to build their communities without fighting foreign operators over every small claim.

The Big Picture: Aligning with the Small-Scale Gold Ban

The US$15 million threshold is part of a broader policy announced on 22 May 2026, which banned foreign operators from the small-scale gold sector entirely. The two measures work together:

• Small-scale gold mining (under 20kg/month or US$15 million capital investment) is reserved exclusively for Zimbabwean citizens.

• Foreign operators must either scale up beyond those thresholds or exit by 1 January 2027.

The logic is simple. Small-scale gold mining should serve as a platform for indigenous capital formation—a space where local miners can build wealth, reinvest in their communities, and eventually become large-scale producers themselves.

Minister of Mines Dr Polite Kambamura has made the government’s position clear: responsible foreign investment is welcome in large-scale mining, exploration, beneficiation, and infrastructure development. The new policy simply distinguishes between the capital-intensive large-scale sector, which still needs foreign partners, and the small-scale sector, which should be a vehicle for local empowerment.

Math Does Not Lie

The US$15 million threshold is not a barrier. It is a filter. It separates serious investors who can present a monitorable investment breakdown from fly-by-night operators who simply want to grab gold and disappear.

If a foreign company can present a proper investment roadmap to ZIDA, commit to producing above 20 kilograms per month, and maintain transparent gold delivery records to Fidelity, the government will approve its transition to large-scale status. That is not shutting the door. That is locking the back door through which billions of dollars have allegedly leaked out of the country.

For the local miners of Silobela, for the communities along the Boterekwa Escarpment, and for every Zimbabwean who has watched their country’s gold disappear into foreign bank accounts, the policy means something else entirely.

It means they can finally dig without constantly looking over their shoulders. It means the maths will finally add up. And it means the gold will finally stay where it belongs—building a nation, one claim, one reinvested dollar, one road at a time.

As President Mnangagwa often says: Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo. A country is built by its own people. This policy simply ensures that those people have a fair chance to do the building.

• State-backed miner moves beyond Elvington pilot as Zimbabwe seeks to tap a sector that delivers 75% of national gold output

The country’s biggest gold miner, Mutapa Gold Resources Ltd., is expanding its artisanal and small-scale mining partnership model to two new locations, targeting Jena Mine in the Midlands and Phoenix Prince Kitsiyatota Gold Mine in Bindura, as Zimbabwe intensifies efforts to formalise a sector that now accounts for the bulk of national gold production, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Rudairo Mapuranga

The expansion follows what the company describes as a successful two-year pilot at Elvington Mine in Mashonaland West, where about 800 artisanal miners operate within Mutapa’s ecosystem, producing between 20 and 30 kilograms of gold per month.

“Gone are the days when we used to have drones just to spot where the artisanal miners are so that we could chase them away,” said Chief Executive Officer Patrick Maseva-Shayawabaya. “We now see them as partners.”

The initiative, funded by Mutapa Gold Resources and delivered in partnership with Magaya Mining and the Zimbabwe School of Mines, provides training in mining methods, occupational safety, financial management, and environmental compliance. Graduates receive certification that Mines Minister Polite Kambamura described as a “passport to formality.”

The expansion reflects a broader pivot in Zimbabwe’s mining policy. Rather than displacing small-scale operators, large producers are increasingly being encouraged to integrate them into formal production systems with traceability mechanisms and access to processing infrastructure. Artisanal miners deliver about 75% of the gold to Fidelity Gold Refinery, with the subsector producing 34.9 tonnes in 2025 as part of a record national output of 46.7 tonnes.

The announcement comes as Mutapa Gold Resources seeks to double annual production to 220,000 ounces by 2029, backed by US$75 million in local bank funding. The company, which operates the Freda Rebecca, Shamva, and Jena mines, produced 104,626 ounces in the fiscal year ended March 2026.

Mutapa Gold Resources, a subsidiary of the sovereign wealth fund Mutapa Investment Fund, directly employs 2,800 people and indirectly supports another 1,300 through contractors, with its operations supporting more than 4,000 livelihoods across mining communities. The company controls 52,000 hectares of mining claims nationwide.

The Zimbabwe School of Mines (ZSM) has proposed making its Certificate in Principles of Responsible Small-Scale Mining (PRSM/S01) a statutory requirement for holding or retaining any small-scale mining title in Zimbabwe. The proposal was presented to a visiting delegation from the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development (MMMD), Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Ryan Chigoche

In a technical presentation to the Ministry of Mines delegation led by the Permanent Secretary, Dr Thomas Utete Wushe, ZSM Training and Operations Manager, Eng Martin January, said the proposal would amend the Mining (Management and Safety) Regulations (updating SI 109 of 1990) to mandate a certified “Responsible Person” on every site, with civil penalties for non-compliance.

The proposal comes at a time when artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) has become central to Zimbabwe’s gold output, yet safety lapses remain a persistent challenge. The government has been pushing formalisation as a solution, with Mines Minister Polite Kambamura previously describing training certificates as “a passport to formality” and “an obligation to mine responsibly.” The ZSM proposal now seeks to legally embed that principle by linking the PRSM certificate to the new Digital Mining Cadastre Register under the “use it or lose it” framework.

Under the proposal, the Explosives Act’s requirement for a Full Blasting Licence would be reinforced by the PRSM certificate, reflecting the fact that ASM accounts for a large share of sector accidents. By codifying the rule under revised Mining (Management and Safety) Regulations, every small-scale mining site would be required to have a certified “Responsible Person,” with civil penalties for those who fail to comply.

The enforcement mechanism relies on Zimbabwe’s new Digital Mining Cadastre Register. Title holders would be required to upload their PRSM certificate for all registrations, transfers, and annual reviews. Failure to do so would trigger automatic alerts under the “use it or lose it” principle, potentially leading to the loss of the claim.

ZSM’s proposal is designed to eliminate informal extraction, shift the compliance burden onto miners themselves, and create a self-perpetuating demand for responsible mining training. If adopted, it would embed safety directly into ASM sector law, making a training certificate no longer optional but the legal requirement for holding a mining title.

The proposal now awaits consideration by the Ministry of Mines. Should it be approved, small-scale miners across Zimbabwe would need to complete the PRSM/S01 course to keep their titles active.

First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa has directed the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, Dr. Ushe Utete, to immediately clean up provincial mining offices and ensure they operate efficiently and free from corruption, following damning allegations of bribery and bureaucratic obstruction raised by the Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF).

By Rudairo Mapuranga

Speaking at an environmental awareness engagement at Magaya Mining Site in Gadzema, Chegutu, the First Lady issued the directive after ZMF President Henrietta Rushwaya presented a catalogue of challenges facing artisanal and small-scale miners, including corrupt officials demanding bribes for processing mining certificates and other documents.

“Your coming here today to be with us is going to be a memorable day in the history of the artisanal and small-scale mining sector,” Rushwaya told the First Lady. “We encounter a number of challenges, and by asking for your presence among us today, the most significant challenge that your children are facing is that of mining land.”

Rushwaya detailed how some officers in the Ministry’s provincial offices demand bribes from miners to process certificates and other essential paperwork, creating barriers that prevent informal operators from formalising their operations. She also highlighted that numerous mining claims and concessions have lain idle since the 1990s, arguing that these should be reallocated to small-scale miners who are ready and willing to work them.

The ZMF President’s remarks echo long-standing grievances within the sector. A massive corruption scandal has recently rocked the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, with explosive allegations emerging of a sophisticated syndicate involving high-ranking provincial officials. Past scandals have included allegations of the double allocation of mining claims and bribes paid to officials, which have cost Zimbabwe billions in lost revenue. In one recent case, a mines official in Matabeleland South Province was sentenced to 18 months in prison for criminal abuse of office after unlawfully issuing a mining prospecting licence to his mother.

Mines and Mining Development Minister Dr. Polite Kambamura has previously declared “zero tolerance” for corruption, vowing decisive action to make the ministry the government’s best performer this year. “An inspector who accepts a bribe to overlook a cracked tailings wall or a compromised ventilation system has signed a death warrant,” the Minister warned recently.

The First Lady’s direct intervention signals heightened political attention on endemic corruption within the mining regulatory apparatus. Her order to Dr. Utete, who was appointed to the post in May 2026, places the permanent secretary under immediate pressure to demonstrate tangible reforms in provincial offices.

Idle Claims and the ‘Use It or Lose It’ Policy

Rushwaya’s call for the release of idle mining claims aligns with Zimbabwe’s “use-it-or-lose-it” policy, which allows the State to reclaim mining concessions that remain undeveloped for extended periods. The ZMF President has previously advocated for the implementation of this policy, noting that some large mining companies have been holding mining claims for many years for speculative purposes without any production taking place.

The government has indicated plans to reclaim all mining concessions that have been lying idle, with reports indicating that there are four platinum concessions that have not been exploited since the 1970s. Rushwaya has argued that operationalising the “use it or lose it” policy would assist in improving production targets.

The proposed Mines and Minerals Bill, gazetted in June 2025, seeks to address concerns about exclusive prospecting orders and introduce frameworks that enable small-scale and artisanal miners to be formally recognised and supported. However, the sector continues to face significant hurdles, including access to finance, equipment, and formal mining titles.

Sector at a Crossroads

The artisanal and small-scale mining sector now contributes over 75% of Zimbabwe’s gold deliveries to Fidelity Gold Refinery and sustains an estimated 1.5 million livelihoods. ZMF members contributed 36 tonnes of gold in 2025, according to Rushwaya. Yet roughly 85% of more than one million ASM operators remain unregistered, according to ZMF estimates.

The First Lady’s directive to clean up provincial offices comes as Zimbabwe seeks to maximise revenue from its mineral wealth amid currency volatility and economic challenges. With the sector now generating more than 45% of the country’s foreign currency inflows, addressing corruption and bureaucratic inefficiencies has become an economic imperative.

Dr. Utete, who has pledged to place the Zimbabwe School of Mines at the heart of his duties and described the institution as a strategic pillar in achieving national mining sector targets, now faces the immediate task of restoring integrity to provincial offices. Whether his response to the First Lady’s directive will deliver meaningful change remains to be seen, but the political spotlight on ministry corruption has never been brighter.

Zimbabwe’s Mines and Mining Development Minister, Dr. Polite Kambamura, will serve as guest of honour at the country’s premier annual mining conference this month, as the industry seeks to translate resource wealth into sustained economic growth, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Rudairo Mapuranga

The Chamber of Mines said on Friday that attendance for the June 17–20 event in Harare would be capped at 500 delegates despite “overwhelming” demand, citing space constraints at the venue.

“The theme, Unlock Value, Maximise Benefit, Sustain Growth, is informed specifically by the need to sustain the growth of our mining industry to maximise its contribution to the socio-economic development of our citizens,” Chamber CEO Dr. Isaac Kwesu told reporters.

The main event takes place on June 19, preceded by two days of specialised symposiums. For the first time, the Chamber has expanded to five thematic symposiums covering ESG and sustainability, gold, platinum group metals (PGMs), lithium and critical minerals, and coal, oil and gas.

Beyond Dr. Kambamura, the Chamber has invited the Finance Minister, Energy Minister, and the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe to address policy levers critical to the mining sector, which holds the world’s second-largest chrome reserves and is Africa’s top platinum producer.

International speakers include the President of Future Coal, a Vice President from the Mozambique Chamber of Mines, the CEO of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, and a senior researcher from CFA Oxford.

Kwesu said the conference outcomes would “inform the policy to shape the mining industry we desire” — one that drives economic growth and contributes to Zimbabwe’s socio-economic agenda under Vision 2030.

The Chamber expects balanced media reporting to provide insights for those unable to attend. A growth and networking event will close the programme on June 20.