Mining ZimbabweLatest Mining News, Policy and Industry Updates

Zimbabwe is moving a step closer to making environmental, social and governance (ESG) compliance a legal prerequisite for securing, renewing and extending mining rights, raising the stakes for companies over environmental rehabilitation, community obligations and corporate accountability, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Ryan Chigoche

Mines and Mining Development Minister Dr Polite Kambamura said the Government was preparing legislation to embed ESG requirements into the mining-rights framework and would work with the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) to strengthen enforcement.

The move is an escalation of a policy direction first outlined in 2024, when Government said it was developing a mandatory ESG policy for the mining sector, with compliance envisaged as a requirement for the issuance of mining licences. ([Mining Zimbabwe][1])

Speaking at the Minex and Zimbabwe Agricultural Society National ESG Conference, Kambamura said the proposed legislation would cover the full life cycle of a mining title.

“Very soon, we will be legislating our ESGs to be a prerequisite to application of mining rights, renewal of mining rights, and the extension of the same.”

The Minister also signalled a tougher approach to environmental approvals, saying environmental impact assessments should be treated as commitments that companies are expected to honour rather than documents prepared simply to obtain approval.

“An environmental impact assessment is not just a mere paper but a commitment that is to be recognised.”

That distinction could become important for operators if ESG compliance is incorporated into decisions on the continuation of mining rights.

Companies would face greater pressure to demonstrate that environmental commitments made during project development are being implemented during operations, rather than being treated as one-off regulatory requirements.

Rehabilitation enters the renewal equation

The proposed regime could also elevate mine rehabilitation from a closure obligation to an issue considered during the life of a mining title.

Kambamura indicated that companies would not be allowed to carry unresolved environmental liabilities indefinitely while seeking to extend their operations.

For miners, this could increase the importance of progressive rehabilitation, environmental monitoring and planning for closure while a mine is still producing.

The issue has already been gaining prominence in Zimbabwe, with Government calling for greater investment in rehabilitation and industry stakeholders considering mechanisms to ensure that companies meet the costs associated with restoring mined land.

The proposed ESG framework would potentially give those obligations greater regulatory weight by linking environmental performance to the continued security of a mining title.

Governance goes beyond reporting

The governance component of ESG is also likely to become more significant as Government modernises the administration of mining rights.

Kambamura linked stronger accountability to the electronic mining cadastre, saying the system would bring greater integrity to the administration of mining titles.

The significance extends beyond digitising records.

A more reliable title-management system can give regulators greater visibility over mining rights, title holders and obligations, while strengthening the ability to monitor compliance across the sector.

Kambamura said Government wanted mining companies to improve the depth of their reporting and accountability systems.

That direction is consistent with the broader evolution of ESG regulation in Zimbabwe. Listed companies have already faced sustainability disclosure requirements, while the mining sector has increasingly come under pressure to demonstrate responsible environmental and social performance rather than rely solely on conventional corporate social responsibility reporting.

A new test for mining investment

If the proposed legislation is enacted, ESG performance could become part of the risk assessment for mining projects from acquisition through to expansion and renewal.

Investors would need to consider not only the quality of a mineral deposit and the economics of extraction, but also the ability of an operator to manage environmental liabilities, maintain relationships with host communities and demonstrate effective governance.

That could become increasingly relevant as international investors, lenders and mineral buyers place greater emphasis on responsible sourcing and sustainability standards.

For Zimbabwe, the policy also creates a potential opportunity to distinguish quality investment from speculative or poorly managed mining activity.

The immediate focus is on compliance. Kambamura said mining title holders had been given until the end of August to regularise outstanding obligations and urged companies to establish credible and implementable ESG frameworks.

Zimbabwe has made a direct appeal to Australian mining investors to take advantage of what the Government says is one of Africa’s most underexplored mineral frontiers, with Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Development Dr Eng. C. Makwiranzou saying the country’s exploration activity has not kept pace with its geological potential, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Rudairo Mapuranga

Addressing the Zimbabwe Mining Investment Seminar at Africa Down Under 2026 in Perth on Thursday, Makwiranzou said Zimbabwe was seeking capital, technology and expertise to unlock its extensive mineral resources and develop more value-added industries around them.

“Let me be candid with an audience of explorers. Our exploration activity has not yet matched our geological potential,” Makwiranzou said.

“That is precisely why it is an opportunity rather than an embarrassment.”

Zimbabwe is endowed with more than 60 commercially exploitable minerals, according to the Deputy Minister, including platinum group metals, lithium, chrome, nickel, gold, diamonds, coal, iron ore, graphite, tungsten, antimony and rare earth elements.

He said Zimbabwe’s mineral endowment placed the country in a strong position as global demand grows for critical and energy-transition minerals.

Exploration opportunity

Makwiranzou singled out Australian junior and mid-tier mining companies as potential partners in expanding exploration activity in Zimbabwe.

“To the Australian junior: we have under-explored ground on a world-class craton, and a cadastre being rebuilt to protect your title,” he said.

Government, he said, was modernising the Zimbabwe Geological Survey and advancing plans for a national airborne geophysical survey aimed at generating modern, high-resolution geological data for explorers.

The Ministry is also deploying drones, artificial intelligence and other advanced geoscience technologies to improve the speed and accuracy of geological surveys.

At the same time, Makwiranzou said Zimbabwe was completing the E-Mine Cadastre System to improve the administration of mining titles and reduce disputes over claims.

The Government was also applying what he described as a “use-it-or-lose-it” approach to mining ground, with idle concessions expected to be released to investors prepared to develop them.

Shift towards beneficiation

A major part of Zimbabwe’s investment pitch centred on beneficiation and the Government’s determination to move the country away from exporting unprocessed minerals.

Makwiranzou said restrictions on exports of unbeneficiated minerals were intended to encourage investors to establish processing and conversion capacity inside Zimbabwe rather than simply export raw materials.

“It is not a wall. It is a door, and it opens in one direction: towards the investor who builds capacity in the country,” he said.

Zimbabwe wants to move from exporting “high mineral volumes of low value” to exporting smaller volumes of higher-value products, including processed minerals, chemicals, components and industrial products.

The Deputy Minister pointed to developments in lithium, platinum and steel as evidence of the country’s beneficiation drive.

He said the Arcadia lithium sulphate plant exported Zimbabwe’s first locally produced lithium sulphate in April, while further lithium processing facilities were under construction at Kamativi and Sinomine Bikita.

In the platinum sector, he noted that President Emmerson Mnangagwa had recently officiated at the signing of a Special Mining Lease for the Karo Platinum Project.

Makwiranzou said the project’s first phase represented investment of about US$545 million, with more than US$240 million already deployed. The project is expected to increase Zimbabwe’s platinum group metals output by about 20% over a mine life exceeding 50 years.

Strong mineral export performance

Makwiranzou also used the seminar to highlight the mining sector’s recent performance.

He said Zimbabwe generated approximately US$5.73 billion in mineral export earnings during the first half of 2026, with gold accounting for about US$3.2 billion and other minerals contributing approximately US$2.53 billion.

According to the Deputy Minister, mineral exports excluding gold and silver increased by 84.7% compared with the same period in 2025.

Gold deliveries reached 21.7 tonnes between January and June, with small-scale and artisanal miners contributing 14.9 tonnes, or nearly 70% of the total.

Australian mining capital targeted

Makwiranzou said Zimbabwe had deliberately come to Perth because of Western Australia’s concentration of exploration capital, mining companies and mining equipment, technology and services businesses.

He said Zimbabwe was particularly interested in attracting Australian expertise into exploration, mine development, mining technology and beneficiation.

“To the mid-tier and the major: we have platinum group metal, lithium and chrome positions of a scale that justifies your attention,” he said.

“To the mining services and technology firms in this room: our mines are modernising, our beneficiation plants are being built now, and the procurement follows.”

He said opportunities existed across a range of commodities, including lithium conversion and downstream processing, PGM exploration and refining, ferrochrome production, gold mining equipment and financing, diamond beneficiation, iron and steel, coal, graphite, tungsten, antimony, rare earths and battery-grade nickel.

Makwiranzou said the Government wanted investors with long-term capital, technology and a willingness to support local beneficiation.

He also pointed to existing mining companies operating in Zimbabwe as evidence that investors could expand and reinvest in the country.

“Capital does not return to a jurisdiction that has mistreated it,” he said.

“Where you see reinvestment, you are looking at the most honest reference check available in this industry — and you will find a great deal of it in Zimbabwe.”

The Deputy Minister said the Ministry would follow up on serious investment enquiries made during Africa Down Under and facilitate engagement with relevant Government institutions and investment authorities.

Zimbabwe’s message to the Perth mining community, he said, was that the country was looking for partners capable of developing its mineral resources over the long term while helping build industries around them.

“Our success will not be counted in the tonnes we extract,” Makwiranzou said. “It will be counted in the industries we establish, the jobs we create and the communities we transform.”

Perth, Western Australia — Zimbabwe’s mining cadastre and portfolio of investment-ready projects have drawn interest from investors at the Africa Down Under conference in Perth, with gold, copper, exploration and mining finance emerging among the key areas of discussion, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Kelvin Sungiso

Investor enquiries at Zimbabwe’s exhibition stand on the opening day focused heavily on the security of mining titles, transparency in the application process and the ability to verify mining tenure remotely.

The discussions put Zimbabwe’s efforts to modernise the administration of mining rights at the centre of its investment pitch, while also highlighting the projects the country is seeking to bring to investors.

Investors also sought information on the status of projects available for investment, the terms of entry and opportunities for partnerships across the mining value chain.

The response comes as Zimbabwe seeks to attract more international capital into exploration and mine development, particularly in a sector where access to large-scale financing remains critical to unlocking new mineral resources.

Zimbabwe’s delegation is being led by Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Development Hon. Dr. Eng. C. Makwiranzou and includes representatives from Government institutions, mining companies, industry bodies and investment agencies.

The delegation was welcomed in Perth by Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Australia, His Excellency Ambassador J. T. Mhishi, who subsequently briefed officials on sentiment among Australian investors and issues likely to arise during engagements at the conference.

Gold, copper and exploration

Investor discussions during the day extended beyond mining rights to opportunities in gold and copper, exploration, joint ventures and large-scale mining projects.

The size and configuration of mining tenements emerged as an important consideration, with potential investors raising concerns over fragmented claims and the difficulty of structuring commercially viable projects where mining rights are divided across smaller holdings.

Discussions also touched on the terms required between prospective joint-venture partners, highlighting the importance of commercially realistic arrangements for projects seeking international capital.

Exploration financing was another area of interest, alongside potential listings on the Australian Securities Exchange, artificial intelligence applications in mineral exploration, mining equipment and services, and opportunities for local participation.

For Zimbabwe, the interest offers an opportunity to connect its mineral resources with Australia’s established mining, exploration and financing ecosystem.

ADU is the largest African-focused mining event held outside Africa and brings together mining companies, explorers, investors, financiers, government representatives and service providers.

From enquiries to investment

The immediate challenge for Zimbabwe will be converting discussions at the conference into transactions.

The delegation is pursuing follow-up engagements in Zimbabwe with prospective investors, with discussions expected to focus on individual projects, financing requirements and potential partnerships.

The Government is also using the conference to promote upcoming investment events aimed at giving investors more detailed access to project promoters and policymakers.

These include the Perth Business and Investment Forum, themed “From Opportunities to Investment Partnerships”, scheduled for 3 September 2026, as well as the Zimbabwe Mining and Energy Investment Forum, which is scheduled for September 4 on the sidelines of ADU.

The latter is being positioned as a platform to connect investors and financiers with Zimbabwean policymakers, industry leaders and project promoters across the mining and energy value chains.

The events are expected to provide an opportunity for Zimbabwe to move beyond general discussions about mineral potential and present specific projects to investors considering exploration, mine development, processing and related infrastructure.

For the mining sector, the investor questions raised at ADU also provide a clearer indication of the issues that need to be addressed if Zimbabwe is to attract greater volumes of international exploration and development capital.

With the conference continuing through September 4, the focus will now shift from initial enquiries to detailed discussions around projects, mining rights, financing and potential investment partnerships.

PERTH, AUSTRALIA – The mining world’s attention turns to Perth tomorrow as the 24th edition of the Africa Down Under (ADU) Conference gets underway, bringing together investors, mining executives, governments, exploration companies and technology providers for three days of business, deal-making and discussions around Africa’s mineral potential, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Kelvin Sungiso

Running from September 2 to 4 at the Pan Pacific Perth, ADU has become one of the most important meeting points between Africa’s resource-rich mining jurisdictions and Australia’s globally established mining investment, exploration and mining services industry.

For Zimbabwe, the conference presents an opportunity to take a compelling investment proposition directly to the heart of Australia’s mining capital.

That proposition goes beyond the country’s existing mines and well-known mineral deposits.

Zimbabwe is taking to Perth the opportunity to unlock what could be one of Africa’s most significant underexplored mineral frontiers, while simultaneously creating new investment opportunities in electricity generation to support beneficiation and value addition.

At the centre of that exploration story is the Zimbabwe Craton.

Zimbabwe sits on one of the world’s ancient Archaean geological terrains, the Zimbabwe Craton, a mineral-rich province that shares important geological characteristics with Australia’s Yilgarn Craton in Western Australia.

The comparison is particularly relevant because Perth sits at the centre of one of the world’s most successful mining and exploration ecosystems.

The Yilgarn Craton has produced some of Australia’s most significant mineral discoveries and hosts major deposits of gold, nickel, lithium and other commodities. Decades of sustained exploration, geological mapping, geophysical surveys, drilling and investment in geological knowledge have helped transform Western Australia into a global mining powerhouse.

The Zimbabwe Craton, meanwhile, contains extensive granite-greenstone terrains and has already demonstrated its enormous mineral endowment through centuries of gold mining and the development of major mineral deposits.

Yet the important question for investors is not simply what Zimbabwe has already found.

Zimbabwe’s mining industry has historically been built around known deposits, particularly gold deposits associated with its greenstone belts. But compared with the sustained exploration effort that has transformed Western Australia’s mining industry, significant parts of Zimbabwe’s geological terrain remain inadequately explored using modern exploration technologies.

That difference represents an opportunity.

The Zimbabwe Craton should not be viewed simply as an old mining province where everything worth finding has already been discovered.

Western Australia’s experience demonstrates that mature geological terrains can continue producing major discoveries when exploration technology, geological knowledge and investment improve.

Even in the highly explored Yilgarn Craton, Australia continues investing in new geological datasets, mapping and technologies designed to identify deposits hidden beneath cover.

For Zimbabwe, where exploration investment has not consistently matched the country’s geological potential, the opportunity could be even greater.

Some of Zimbabwe’s next major mines may not be found by simply following the old workings.

They could lie beneath cover, in deeper geological environments or in areas that were never adequately investigated using modern geophysics, remote sensing, three-dimensional geological modelling and sophisticated data analysis.

This is where the Perth connection becomes particularly important.

Australia has developed globally recognised expertise in discovering deposits in difficult geological environments.

Modern exploration increasingly combines airborne geophysics, satellite imagery, geochemical analysis, geological modelling, artificial intelligence and advanced data analytics to identify targets that previous generations of exploration may have missed.

These technologies are changing the definition of what it means for a mining jurisdiction to be “explored.”

A country may have been extensively prospected using traditional methods while still remaining largely unexplored according to modern geological standards.

That could be Zimbabwe’s hidden opportunity.

The country’s known mineral wealth — including gold, platinum group metals, lithium, chrome, nickel and other strategic minerals — provides evidence of a highly endowed geological system.

But known deposits may represent only part of the story.

New exploration could uncover extensions of existing mineral systems, deeper deposits, entirely new gold belts and mineral provinces that have received limited modern investigation.

For Australian junior exploration companies and mining investors, Zimbabwe therefore offers an opportunity to apply modern exploration knowledge to a geological terrain with a proven history of mineral discovery but substantial scope for further investigation.

From Exploration to the Next Generation of Mines

A strong mining industry cannot rely indefinitely on existing operations and known deposits.

New discoveries must continually enter the pipeline if production is to grow and the industry is to remain competitive.

Zimbabwe’s opportunity is therefore to turn geological potential into a new generation of exploration projects and eventually new mines.

That will require risk capital, advanced technology, reliable geological information and experienced exploration companies.

Africa Down Under provides Zimbabwe with direct access to exactly that ecosystem.

Perth is home to mining companies, exploration specialists, financiers, drilling companies, geological consultants and mining technology providers with experience operating across some of the world’s most challenging mineral provinces.

The opportunity is to connect that expertise with Zimbabwe’s largely untapped geological potential.

Power: The Investment Opportunity Behind Value Addition

But discovering new mineral deposits is only part of Zimbabwe’s next mining chapter.

The country is also pursuing greater beneficiation and value addition, creating another major investment opportunity: electricity generation.

Zimbabwe’s ambition is increasingly to move beyond the extraction and export of raw minerals towards greater local processing and the development of industries around its mineral resources.

However, beneficiation requires power.

Processing minerals into concentrates, refined products and higher-value materials requires significantly more reliable and affordable electricity than simply extracting and exporting ore.

As Zimbabwe develops more mines and processing facilities, demand for energy will inevitably increase.

This creates opportunities for investors in captive power generation, independent power projects, renewable energy, energy storage and other electricity solutions designed to support mining and mineral processing.

The relationship between mining and energy will become even more important as Zimbabwe pursues deeper beneficiation.

A mine may produce ore, but a modern mineral economy requires electricity to crush, concentrate, process, refine and manufacture.

Investment in power generation could therefore become one of the foundations upon which Zimbabwe builds its value-addition ambitions.

More Than Just Mining

Zimbabwe’s opportunity also extends beyond exploration, mines and electricity.

Every new mining project creates demand for drilling, engineering, equipment, logistics, water infrastructure, environmental services, technology, financial services and specialised skills.

New discoveries could therefore create an entirely new generation of businesses around the mining industry.

Australian companies attending ADU have expertise across virtually every stage of the mining lifecycle, from exploration and drilling to mine development, engineering, processing and environmental management.

Connecting this expertise with Zimbabwe’s geological potential could create partnerships that extend far beyond the extraction of minerals.

As Africa Down Under gets underway, Zimbabwe’s strongest investment message may therefore be that its mining story is far from complete.

The country has already demonstrated its mineral wealth.

Its gold mines, platinum resources, lithium projects and other mineral operations provide evidence of what its geology is capable of producing.

But the comparison with Western Australia’s Yilgarn Craton raises an even more important question.

If sustained exploration investment and advanced technology helped unlock Western Australia’s geological potential, what could still be waiting beneath the Zimbabwe Craton?

For investors gathering in Perth, that question could represent one of Zimbabwe’s most compelling opportunities.

The next generation of Zimbabwean mining projects may not yet have names.

They may still be hidden beneath the surface, waiting for modern exploration technology, capital and expertise to reveal them.

And once they are discovered, Zimbabwe will need the electricity, infrastructure and industrial capacity to transform those discoveries into mines, processing plants and higher-value industries.

That is the opportunity Zimbabwe takes to Africa Down Under: to discover the hidden, power the future and build greater value from one of Africa’s most prospective mineral landscapes.

The Zimbabwe School of Mines (ZSM) is expanding its practical training and technology capabilities through plans for an experimental mine in the Inyathi area near Bulawayo, alongside new initiatives in drone technology and gemology, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Rudairo Mapuranga

Central to the expansion plans is the development of an experimental mine in the Inyathi area, which January said is intended to become a “living laboratory” for students.

The project is designed to give students greater exposure to practical mining activities, complementing classroom learning with hands-on experience in exploration and mine development.

January said students have already participated in activities related to the development of the project, including work associated with securing the mining title and conducting geophysical surveys, which produced promising results.

The next stage will focus on further exploration, with students expected to continue playing an active role.

“The idea of this experimental mine is for it to become a living laboratory where we train our students practically,” January said.

ZSM is also seeking partnerships with industry professionals and AMSZ members to support the development of the project.

“This is something that we cannot do alone. We are asking members of the Association of Mine Surveyors and those who can participate in the development of this project to come on board,” he said.

One of the distinctive features of the proposed model is the level of responsibility expected to be given to students once the mine becomes operational.

January said ZSM envisages a structure in which students will play a leading role in managing the mine under staff supervision.

“Our model is that, as we develop and the mine becomes functional, we need to make sure that it is managed by 80% students and 20% staff,” he said.

Drone Training Initiative Takes Shape

ZSM is also working on a drone training and technical services initiative as part of efforts to expose students to emerging technologies increasingly being adopted across the mining industry.

January said the school is establishing a drone training group, which will form part of its broader technology-driven approach to mining education and technical training.

The initiative is expected to create opportunities for students to develop skills in the application of drone technology within mining and related technical fields.

The development of the programme comes as the use of drones continues to grow in areas such as surveying, mapping, monitoring and data collection.

Focus on Gemology and Value Addition

The third major project is the establishment of a gemology and geometallurgy centre, where ZSM is introducing training linked to cutting, polishing and mineral value addition.

January said the centre has introduced three new programmes:

• Certificate in Cutting and Polishing;
• Diploma in Gemology; and
• Certificate in Jewellery Architecture and Design.

The programmes represent an expansion of ZSM’s training offering into areas associated with mineral beneficiation and value addition.

Zimbabwe has increasingly emphasised the need to derive greater value from its mineral resources, and the new training programmes are expected to develop skills relevant to downstream activities, particularly in the processing and value addition of precious stones.

Expanding the Practical Mining Education Model

The three projects reflect ZSM’s push to strengthen practical training while responding to the growing importance of technology and value addition in the mining sector.

The proposed experimental mine will give students direct exposure to exploration and mine operations, while the drone initiative will introduce learners to emerging technologies. The gemology programmes, meanwhile, will expand opportunities for training in mineral cutting, polishing and jewellery design.

January said partnerships with industry and professional bodies would be important in bringing the projects to fruition.

As Zimbabwe’s mining industry continues to evolve, ZSM is positioning practical experience, technology adoption and mineral value addition at the centre of its efforts to prepare the next generation of mining professionals.

The Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) has recorded 18 cases of suspected mineral smuggling and irregular mineral movement between January and 20 August 2026, as strengthened Mineral Resource Accounting controls tighten scrutiny of mineral movements from mine to border, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Rudairo Mapuranga

The cases involved 2,654.88 tonnes of mineral material and metal scrap, with lithium, chrome and silica dominating the case register, according to MMCZ’s maiden Mineral Resource Accounting and Surveillance Market Update.

The figure includes a 1,500-tonne chrome concentrate stockpile in Darwendale that was placed under embargo while investigations continue. The remaining recorded cases account for 1,154.88 tonnes.

MMCZ General Manager Dr Nomusa Jane Moyo said the offences detected included movement without valid documentation, misuse or falsification of export papers, cargo misdeclaration and attempted movement of unbeneficiated mineral ore.

Critical minerals have become a particular focus of MMCZ’s surveillance efforts, in line with the Government’s broader push for beneficiation and tighter controls on the export of unbeneficiated minerals.

Most of the cases were recorded at border points, reflecting a significant strengthening of MMCZ’s enforcement capacity through the deployment of Mineral Resource Accounting inspectors.

Previously, the Corporation had no permanent Mineral Resource Accounting Inspectorate presence at border posts. Inspectors are now verifying mineral movements, physically inspecting cargo and collecting samples where technical confirmation is required.

One of the major interceptions occurred at Forbes Border Post on July 27, when MMCZ inspectors intercepted a truck carrying 33 tonnes of lithium spodumene ore.

According to MMCZ, the consignment was being transported using photocopied export papers purporting to cover lithium concentrate. The matter was referred to the Criminal Investigation Department’s Minerals, Flora and Fauna Unit (CIDMFFU), while the agent was taken into custody pending a court appearance.

A few days later, on August 3, MMCZ inspectors at Forbes intercepted another consignment comprising three tonnes of lithium ore and 28 tonnes of spodumene concentrate.

The matter was handed over to CIDMFFU, with MMCZ saying the company subsequently pleaded guilty to smuggling and was fined.

The latest border case recorded during the period under review occurred at Beitbridge on August 20, where a truck carrying 36.88 tonnes of suspected copper and aluminium scrap was intercepted while destined for South Africa.

MMCZ said the vehicle had no supporting documentation for the cargo and had reportedly been presented as an empty truck. The driver was arrested under the Copper Control Act, while samples were collected for laboratory analysis.

Dr Moyo said the Corporation was maintaining a zero-tolerance approach towards illegal mineral exports, with strengthened Mineral Resource Accounting intended to improve oversight of minerals produced and exported from Zimbabwe.

Detection of suspected illegal mineral movements is increasingly intelligence-led and involves cooperation between MMCZ and agencies including CIDMFFU, Zimbabwe Republic Police Intelligence, the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority and the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission.

Outcomes recorded during the period include arrests, court appearances, fines, forfeiture of mineral ore to the State, impoundment of consignments, the return of undocumented minerals to their source and ongoing investigations.

MMCZ said the cases had also demonstrated the importance of physical inspections, noting that documentation alone was insufficient to detect cargo substitution, incorrect export documents and cases where mineral ore was presented as processed concentrate.

The Corporation said it will continue tightening Mineral Resource Accounting through border inspections, mine-level monitoring, intelligence-led surveillance, sampling, mineral verification and joint enforcement operations.

“The objective is to ensure that Zimbabwe can account for its mineral resources from source to market and that mineral exports comply with national laws and Government policy on value addition and beneficiation,” Dr Moyo said.

CALEDONIA Mining Corporation Plc has announced a maiden mineral resource estimate of approximately 510,000 ounces of gold at its Motapa property, potentially strengthening the long-term growth case for its neighbouring Bilboes Gold Project, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Rudairo Mapuranga

The maiden estimate includes 379,000 ounces of gold in the measured and indicated resource categories and a further 131,000 ounces classified as inferred.

Motapa, which is wholly owned by Caledonia, lies adjacent to the company’s Bilboes Gold Project, creating the potential for the two properties to support a larger mining operation in the future, subject to further exploration, technical studies and economic evaluation.

The mineral resource estimate was reported in accordance with Canada’s National Instrument 43-101 and comprises 7.788 million tonnes grading 1.51 grammes of gold per tonne in the measured and indicated categories.

The inferred resource contains a further 2.741 million tonnes grading 1.48g/t gold.

The estimate was reported using a 0.5g/t gold cut-off grade.

Caledonia Chief Executive Officer Mark Learmonth said the maiden estimate represented an important milestone following several years of exploration at the property.

“The maiden MRE at Motapa is a significant milestone for Caledonia and demonstrates the value created through our exploration activities over the past two years,” said Learmonth.

“The identification of 379,000 ounces in the measured and indicated mineral resource categories, together with a further 131,000 ounces in the inferred mineral resource category, demonstrates the value created by the exploration work completed to date.”

Caledonia acquired Motapa in November 2022 for US$8.25 million in cash and loan notes and subsequently invested US$7.084 million in exploration between 2023 and 2025.

Based on the combined acquisition and exploration expenditure, Caledonia said the cost equates to approximately US$40.45 per measured and indicated resource ounce.

The bulk of the maiden resource is located at Motapa North, the most advanced of three principal shear zones on the property.

Motapa North lies immediately adjacent to Bilboes, while the company has also begun exploration work at Motapa Central and Motapa South.

The maiden estimate is based on exploration focused largely on sulphide mineralisation below historic open pits at Motapa North and does not include results from the ongoing 2026 exploration programme.

Caledonia said exploration is continuing at Motapa North while work has expanded to the Central and South shear zones.

Totals may not add due to rounding.

The Motapa discovery could have broader implications for Caledonia’s long-term strategy around Bilboes, one of Zimbabwe’s major undeveloped gold projects.

Bilboes hosts proven and probable mineral reserves of 1.75 million ounces of gold, and Caledonia believes the proximity of Motapa could ultimately provide opportunities to expand the broader mining complex.

Learmonth said Motapa should be viewed within the context of Caledonia’s ownership of the neighbouring Bilboes project.

“This maiden mineral resource estimate supports our view that the combined Bilboes and Motapa properties may ultimately support a larger operation and/or extend the current planned production profile for Bilboes of 1.5 million ounces over a 10.8-year life of mine,” he said.

However, Caledonia said considerable work remains before Motapa’s full economic potential can be determined, including further exploration, metallurgical test work, technical studies and economic evaluation.

The immediate priority remains advancing Bilboes, while exploration at Motapa is expected to continue as Caledonia further assesses the potential of the wider gold district.

The Motapa estimate represents a mineral resource and should not be confused with a mineral reserve, as further technical and economic work is required to demonstrate economic viability.

Mutapa Gold Resources has raised US$100,000 through its inaugural Charity Golf Day, with the proceeds set to support three medical institutions serving communities around its mining operations, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Rudairo Mapuranga

The tournament, held at the Country Club in Newlands, Harare, attracted more than 150 participants, bringing together mining executives, contractors, business partners and other industry stakeholders under the theme “Network, Compete, Connect.”

Mutapa Gold CEO Patrick Maseva-Shayawabaya said the company was encouraged by the response from its business partners and the wider mining industry.

“The turnout has been magnificent. The support from our various contractors and business partners has also been very magnificent. So I am very happy with how this day has turned out.”

The funds will benefit Loretto Mission in the Midlands Province, Shamva Hospital and Bindura Hospital in Mashonaland Central, supporting healthcare services in communities where Mutapa Gold operates.

The company said the initiative forms part of its broader community investment programme, which includes major water and healthcare projects.

These include the US$3 million Masembura Water Pipeline Project, as well as the development of the Bindura Hospital Maternity Ward and rehabilitation work at Shamva Hospital, projects which the company said have collectively cost nearly US$4 million.

The charity golf day is intended to complement these existing community initiatives while creating a platform for mining companies, contractors and other industry players to contribute collectively to social development.

“The most important objective is to raise funds for the medical institutions in our communities. Just to say that we can achieve a lot together rather than as individuals,” Maseva-Shayawabaya said.

The strong participation from companies across the mining value chain also provided an opportunity for networking and engagement between Mutapa Gold and its contractors, suppliers and business partners.

Following the success of the inaugural tournament, Mutapa Gold intends to make the Charity Golf Day an annual event, combining industry networking with fundraising for communities around its operations.

The initiative comes as mining companies increasingly face pressure to demonstrate tangible benefits for communities hosting their operations, particularly through investments in healthcare, water, education and other social infrastructure.