Mining ZimbabweLatest Mining News, Policy and Industry Updates

The Honorary Freedom of the City of London Award is a recognition of lifetime achievement or high international standing. Dallaglio Investments (Pvt) Ltd Chairman Mr. Sternford Moyo has been bestowed with the Freedom of the City of London for his unswerving commitment to the rule of law and contributions to the international legal profession in general. The granting of this award is extremely rare and generally given today only to royalty, heads of state or figures of global standing.

Mr. Moyo is the Chairman of one of the country’s biggest gold-producing companies Dallaglio Investments (Pvt) Ltd. He is also the Chairman and Senior Partner at Scanlen and Holderness law firm based in Harare. Mr. Moyo’s award was in recognition of his outstanding work as the President of the International Bar Association (IBA). Notably he is the first person from Africa to serve as IBA President.

In his remarks, Moyo said, “It is a great honour to receive from the London City Corporation this Freedom. In fact, it has been one of the most special events of my life. I regard London as my second home, and the International Bar Association has strong roots in England’s capital city. I want to thank the City of London, the IBA and the Law Society of England and Wales for their support, and Alderman Sir David Wootton for nominating me for this prestigious award.’

“It has been my good fortune to have met, and to be, working alongside such incredible colleagues as the IBA Officers here today, including Mark Ellis, who I have worked with now for more than twenty years following our first meeting in Harare where we discussed the rule of law, administration of justice and the independence of the judiciary in Zimbabwe. I could not have conceived two decades ago that today I would have the good fortune of being seated in this remarkable city, with my family and fellow upholders of the rule of law the recipient of such an accolade.”

Sir David Wootton, former Lord Mayor of the City of London, who nominated Mr. Moyo for the Freedom, said: ‘It is a pleasure to welcome Sternford Moyo as a Freeman of the City of London. As the first person from the continent of Africa to be elected President of the IBA, he has already contributed so much to the international legal sector, and his commitment to the rule of law is something very much shared by the City of London.”

Dallaglio as well as the wider mining community would like to congratulate Mr. Moyo on this outstanding achievement.

Bulawayo City Council (BCC) rangers have roped in the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) in an operation to stop illegal mining activities in the Umzingwane River catchment area, which has resulted in 201 illegal gold panners being arrested.

The illegal gold miners were causing environmental damage and the siltation of dams, which affected the water-holding capacity of the city’s supply dams.

Some of Bulawayo’s supply dams affected by siltation as a result of illegal mining activities are Umzingwane, Lower Ncema, Upper Ncema, Inyankuni, Insiza and Mtshabezi. They are all in Matabeleland South province.

Of late, there has been an upsurge in gold panning activities along the rivers feeding these supply dams, thereby reducing their holding capacity.

The latest council minutes state that the director of housing and community services Dictor Khumalo raised concerns over environmental violations happening in Bulawayo.

“On the degradation in Greater Bulawayo and water catchment areas, joint patrols were conducted in the areas by rangers and police.  A total of 140 hand tools and three detector machines were confiscated and handed over to Esigodini police as exhibits,” the minutes read.

“Twenty illegal gold panners were handed over to Esigodini courts for prosecution. A total of 201 illegal gold panners were arrested throughout the year 2022.”

With regards to mineral and sand extraction in Bulawayo, the minutes stated that two stakeholder meetings were held to discuss the welfare of donkeys and another one was conducted on the Hualin Quarry Mine in Pumula North.

“During the patrols, a total of 59 tickets were issued to various offenders. Twenty-six tickets had already been cleared and a sum of US$1 802,37 was realised. A total of 33 tickets were still outstanding with a value of US$15 980,27. Patrols were conducted in both the eastern and western areas of the city.

“A total of 14 truckloads were recorded at the two designated pitsand sites, and a total US$230 was realised from the sales.  Illegal cultivation was now rampant as the rainy season continued. Slashing of maize was conducted at Nketa Park and Luveve Gum Plantation to curb the invasion of protected areas by illegal cultivators.”

Southern Eye

Diversified miner and developer Premier African Minerals CEO George Roach reports that the company’s Zimbabwe-based Zulu lithium and tantalum project is on track to produce spodumene concentrate before the end of the first quarter.

“We are in the home stretch in terms of final plant assembly and commissioning,” he adds.

To date, Premier has completed construction of flotation circuits, with all major structures, tanks and associated civils complete and pipework, electrical and pneumatic connections currently being assembled.

Zulu, located 80 km from Bulawayo, comprises 14 mineral claims covering a surface area of 3.5 km².

With the exception of the secondary crushing circuit that is expected this week, all major components of the crushing, sorting, screening and milling plant are installed and ready for power-up.

Regarding water supply, the mine’s main storage dam is at a level of 10 m and already contains sufficient water for ongoing operations.

Generators and electrical motor control centres are en route from Johannesburg and will be installed immediately on arrival.

As for mining operations, Roach reports that pit clearing and exposure of the orebody is underway.

In addition, the miner points out that major earthworks, including the tailings facility, are well-advanced and are not expected to cause any delay at this time.

“A particularly wet season has not helped but what has been achieved despite this and numerous difficulties associated with logistics, borders, ongoing relocations, inter alia is quite remarkable.

“In July 2022 this was nothing but bush, today we have a mine,” he says.

Roach adds that more significant assay results are expected in the coming weeks.

Mining Weekly

The Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill will bring sanity and empower indigenous Zimbabweans to benefit fully from their God-given mineral resource, Deputy Attorney General Nelson Manuel Dias has reviewed.

Rudairo Mapuranga

Responding to a question from Mr Hyde Chatyokwa which suggested that the current bill is segregating native Zimbabweans in favour of foreigners at the Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill all stakeholders conference held at Rainbow Hotel, Harare this past Monday, Dias said the Bill was prioritizing Zimbabweans and ensuring that communities benefit significantly.

“The Bill prioritizes indigenous Zimbabweans, it does not in anywhere prefer foreigners. The Bill wants to protect communities, want to empower small-scale miners and it has clearly spelt that.

“Foreign companies are subjected to a lot of requirements for them to start mining whilst, for indigenous Zimbabweans, it is very easy,” Dias said.

Speaking at the same event Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Mining Development Chairperson Hon Edmond Mkaratigwa said that his Portfolio was ready to bring out a law that supports indigenous people.

“We want to make the bill the best and acceptable by all citizens in Zimbabwe,” Hon Mkaratigwa said.

Through the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Mining Development capacity building workshop held in Bulawayo last week, members raised several issues among them issues of the Formalisation of the ASM, strategic minerals, and constitution of the Mining Affairs Board among others.

According to Hon Mkaratigwa the recognition of Artisanal and Small-Scale miners, The farmer-miner disputes; Environmental, Health and Safety Issues; Transparency in the licensing regime of mining titles; Recognition of Provincial Mining Directors; Devolution of the Mining Sector administration royalty; Equality and equity of mining fees across provinces and local authorities; Corporate Social Responsibility and the need for social and environmental protection and; Installation and operationalization of Computerized Cadastre System among others are critical issues in the bill.

On the formalisation of artisanal miners, Dias said the Bill has recognised artisanal and small-scale miners and has given them a chance to formalise their operations.

It was highlighted that there may be a need to also add Gold and Platinum Group Minerals under strategic minerals considering their huge contribution to the mineral revenue as well as the social fabric. Dias however said that it was putting gold and PGMs as strategic minerals that might be detrimental to small-scale miners. He, however, said that through the bill, the Minister is empowered to declare any mineral as strategic.

It was also highlighted that on the Constitution of the Mining Affairs Board (MAB) Section 8 should explicitly mention small-scale miners being represented by the Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF). Dias however, said that the board will not have specific organizations except for the Chamber of Mines which has an act governing it.

It was highlighted that section 23 on qualifications required for one to be registered as a staking agent should be specific on what kind of qualifications. Dias however said that it was the duty of the Minister to specify the requirements for the stacking agents.

It was raised that, on the issuance of Exclusive Exploration Licence- too many offices are involved which does not promote the ease of doing business. The Deputy Attorney General, however, said EEL is a bridge to special leases so it was difficult for the government to ease the process because it requires so much scrutiny to safeguard the country’s resources for Zimbabweans.

It was proposed that the best way to deal with CSR Certification may be through the creation of Community Based Organisations through Local Authorities in a bid to empower the communities around mining areas themselves to certify the level of compliance by a miner on his or its social responsibility obligations. Dias however said it was important for the process to be managed by experts as communities have proven to be vulnerable for many a time. He said usually communities Act in the judgement of poverty and end up getting duped.