Home Blog Page 407

BREAKING: ZAMA joins ZMF

TEPE
-
0
BREAKING: ZAMA joins ZMF

The Zimbabwe Artisanal Miners Association (ZAMA) has joined the Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) as an affiliate member.

The yesteryear-formed outfit officially became a member of the ZMF today in Msasa.

Speaking to Mining Zimbabwe on the development ZMF President Ms Henrietta Rushwaya said the coming-in of more Associations into the ZMF family ensures Artisanal and Small-scale Miners (ASM) interests are well taken care of.

“The coming in of ZAMA as one of the affiliate members of ZMF is a milestone achievement especially in the sense that ZAMA among many other Associations that have joined ZMF will bring in lots of expertise and lots of membership that had already affiliated under their flagship. This will help us in achieving and attaining one objective of ensuring that the interests of Small-scale miners are taken care of. ZMF has quite a number of Associations under its purview some that deal with interests that involve women, others deal with conservancy others deal with the environment, others deal with the youths, others deal with people with disabilities and so forth. So ZAMA is welcome to be part of the big ZMF Family and welcome on board to ZAMA,” Rushwaya said.

ZAMA National chairperson Constance Muchoni said joining the Federation is a welcome development for the Association as it stands to benefit immensely from affiliating with the ZMF.

“It’s out of necessity as ZAMA is an association within the Mining Sector and according to the structure of the sector, we have to affiliate to ZMF. Our work as ZAMA compliments both the work of ZMF and the Ministry of Mines. It is a welcome development for ZAMA as the Association stands to benefit a lot from ZMF,” Muchoni said.

Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF)

Zimbabwe Miners Federation’s birth was marked to represent and contribute to the development, growth, and empowerment of the artisanal and small-scale (ASM) miners in Zimbabwe. Established in 2003, the ZMF seeks to bring ASM into the mainstream economy through lobbying and support of ASM operations.

Part of the ZMF objectives is lobbying for the formalization and regularisation of artisanal miners, and small-scale miners. ZMF ensures that legislation in the country is conducive for ASM mining operations and at the same time developing a good rapport with the government.

ZMF links on a day-to-day basis, with its partners who are stakeholders which include but not limited to government, investors, mining service providers, suppliers, and tertiary training institutions that complete the mineral value chain. ZMF has a total of 60+ affiliate associations at the district and provincial levels.

It is by far Zimbabwe’s largest mining body with a membership of over 1,5 million.

Fidelity official gold buying prices Friday 29 July 2022

TEPE
-
0
Fidelity official gold buying prices Friday 29 July 2022

Fidelity Gold Refiners (FGR) official gold buying prices Friday 29 July 2022.

SG 90% AND ABOVE US$53.55/g
SG ABOVE 85% BUT BELOW 90% US$52.71/g
SG ABOVE 80% BUT BELOW 85% US$52.14/g
SG ABOVE 75% BUT BELOW 80% US$51.58/g
SAMPLE BELOW 10g BUT ABOVE 5g US$50.73/g
FIRE ASSAY CASH US$53.55/g

Exchange rate TBA

NB: Fire Assay cash price is for gold above 100gs and no sample is deducted.
For the Fire Assay Transfer price, a sample of not more than 10g is deducted
2% royalty is charged on all deposits (Small-scale Miners)
5% royalty is charged on Primary Producers

Cash available. Fidelity Gold Refiners’ prices will be changing daily in relation to world market prices.

ZMF distributes contraceptives to Norton ASM

TEPE
-
0
ZMF distributes contraceptives to Norton ASM

Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) through its secretary for Semi Precious and gemstones Mr Privelage Moyo, has distributed contraceptives to the Norton mining community in an effort to create awareness and protect Artisanal Miners from sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Rudairo Mapuranga

Artisanal miners popularly known as “Makorokoza” are infamously known for behaving carelessly, especially with the ladies of the night which has led to a number of them succumbing due to STIs.

According to Moyo, the distribution of condoms was done to make sure that artisanal miners are healthy as the country heads towards the US$12 billion mining Industry.

“The purpose is to protect our miners who cannot easily access condoms, which are now in short supply country-wide. We sourced the contraceptives to make it easy for our miners to get them. As ZMF we stepped up our effort in sourcing through the social health department and make it available to our miners who are the engine of the mining sector. We are trying to make sure that every miner has access to safe social health. Since our government has a target of US$12 billion through mining, we cannot reach the target without the workforce, hence it is our duty as leaders to ensure that the journey is well protected and our workforce is very healthy. These workers are pioneers in the ASM sector hence the knowledge and skills they have, need to be passed on to the next generation whilst they are still alive,” Moyo said.

Mr Chapfuwa Banda a miner in Norton applauded ZMF for embarking on the idea to promote the health of artisanal miners as the miners are living under a huge health risk.

“We are very happy that ZMF remembers us and we urge them to continue distributing these condoms to protect miners from STIs,” he said.

In 2018 National Aids Council (NAC) provincial manager David Nyamurera said artisanal miners are at a high risk of spreading HIV and STIs as a result of low-risk perception.

“Key drivers of the epidemic in the province include having multiple concurrent sexual partners and this includes sex work, incorrect and inconsistent use of condoms, unequal gender relations resulting in Gender Based Violence (GBV) and child marriages. It is kind of a vicious cycle also low-risk perception and intergenerational sexual relations.

“Indeed artisanal miners are at high risk of acquiring and transmitting HIV and other STIs because of their vulnerability. When they get money after their hard work they tend to prioritise leisure and joy, this is where the issue of low-risk perception comes in,” he said.

High-risk sexual behaviour is frequent among small-scale miners owing to the excessive drug abuse that accompanies their operational activities. “ It is common knowledge that ‘Makorokozas’ lead a reckless life of serious drug abuse, alcohol and careless sexual practices with little or no fear of death hence you find they are rarely shocked with reports of HIV prevalent rates.

Manicaland mining cadastre system now online

TEPE
-
0
Manicaland mining cadastre system now online

The implementation of the Mining Cadastre Information Management System is now at an advanced stage with the Manicaland pilot project now operational online, the Minister of Finance and Economic Development Prof Mthuli Ncube has said.

Rudairo Mapuranga

The Mining Cadastre Portal provides an e-Government platform for all stakeholders in the mineral sector to engage directly with the mining commissioners who issue mining certificates. The aim of the Portal is to ensure international standards of transparency with an emphasis on improving the ease of doing business in Zimbabwe.

The computerized cadastre Portal will be open for registrations for existing mineral titleholders who will have a period to verify and validate their individual mineral titles. Once verified, registered users will be able to view their portfolios and provide feedback on title data. Online applications and other portfolio management functionality will commence after the inauguration of the system.

According to Prof Ncube through budget strategy paper 2023, with the Manicaland mining cadastre system now online, the government is optimistic that all other mining provinces will be online in 2023.

“The implementation of the computerised mining cadastre system is at an advanced stage. Data capturing and provision for a platform for clients to log on to the system to apply for the mining title is at an advanced stage. Manicaland is now operating online, with the rest of the mining provinces targeted to be online in 2023 once the data capturing exercise is complete,” Prof Ncube said.

Currently, the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development is flooded with several running disputes caused by over-pegging and double allocation of mining titles which at times results in chaos in the sector.

The introduction of the new mapping system is therefore expected to bring sanity to Zimbabwe’s mining sector, the Southern African country’s single largest foreign currency earner, and spur growth through that economic segment.

Advantages of the cadastre system

The computer-based cadastre system is expected to enhance transparency and accountability in the administration of mining titles.

The cadastre system will have all records of interest in the land such as licence holders’ rights, restrictions and government activities.

The computerised mining register is also expected to be the central database for the storage of information on applications and licences.

It is also expected to reduce processing time for the issuance of mining titles and other mining services in line with best practices across the globe.

Currently, mining licence separations are marked on the ground by metal stakes, concrete beacons, or some other fixed points surveyed using conventional methods such as theodolite or archaic methods involving tape and chains. This method has been criticized for breeding corruption in the allocation of titles.

The cadastre system will therefore help curb corruption in the allocation of mining claims.

ZESA raises mines power tariff by 8% to meet production cost

TEPE
-
0
ZESA raises mines power tariff by 8% to meet production cost

Zimbabwe, which has the world’s third-biggest reserves of platinum-group metals, and also mines gold, diamonds and chrome, is targeting growth in the sector to $12 billion output by 2023.

Zimbabwe’s power utility ZESA Holdings will no longer charge mining houses tariffs below cost of production as it is struggling to service “ballooning power import debt.”

Exporters, such as mining companies, will be charged 10.63 US cents per kWh from August 1, ZESA Executive Chairman Sydney Gata said in a letter to miners. Power from diesel-run Hwange plant, which is under expansion to add 300 megawatts, is produced at 10.7 US cents/kWh, translating to 12 cents for customers, he said.

“ZESA will no longer be able to continue supplying electricity to exporting customers at USc9.86 as it is unsustainable,” he said.

The southern African country generates an average 1 200-1 300 megawatts of its own electricity and relies on imports from Zambia, South Africa and Mozambique to cover shortfalls. ZESA requires $17 million monthly for those imports, the company has said in the past.

Zimbabwe, which has the world’s third-biggest reserves of platinum-group metals, and also mines gold, diamonds and chrome, is targeting growth in the sector to $12 billion output by 2023.

Bloomberg

Make selling gold locally lucrative – Mliswa

TEPE
-
0
Make selling gold locally lucrative – Mliswa

Fire-brand politician and Norton member of Parliament Temba Mliswa has urged the government to create schemes that make selling gold locally lucrative.

Speaking on his Twitter account Mliswa said many gold producers prefer to smuggle the precious metal out of Zimbabwe in order to be paid in US$.

“All gold mined in Zimbabwe is supposed to be sold to the central bank, but many producers prefer to smuggle it out of the country in order to get payment in US dollars. Gvt should respond to this issue by providing schemes that make selling it local lucrative,” Mliswa said.

“…Currently we are losing around 33 tonnes of gold annually, according to a report by the Centre for Natural Resource Governance. This kind of corruption will negate any gold production!”

A report by the International Crisis Group last year estimated that Zimbabwe is losing at least US$1.5 billion annually through the smuggling of gold, mainly to traders in Dubai and South Africa.

The report notes that smugglers are hiding smaller quantities of gold in clothing and headdresses, while larger amounts are stowed away in car glove compartments, spare wheels and any other parts of a vehicle that can be modified for smuggling purposes.

“Similarly, in Southern Africa, gold is easily smuggled from Zimbabwe into South Africa. Porous land borders make it easy for criminal groups to cross into South Africa where laundering opportunities and transport services are more readily available,” the report reads in part.

“While there are informal border crossings, the official Beitbridge border post remains a preferred route for gold smugglers. Smaller quantities of gold are hidden in clothing and headdresses, while larger amounts are stowed away in car glove compartments, spare wheels and any other parts of a vehicle that can be modified for smuggling purposes,” continues the report.

In both east and southern Africa, Global Initiative said trucking is a popular way to smuggle large gold shipments.

On the Zimbabwe-South Africa border, both bus drivers and truckers are reported to smuggle gold.

On the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)–Uganda border, gold is hidden in trucks that can bypass COVID-19 restrictions to deliver ‘essential goods’. Bars weighing between five and 20 kilograms are stuffed underneath truck cabins, inside battery compartments and emptied gasoline tankers.

“As a result, some major buyers have invested in both gold and trucking. For example, certain major gold dealers in Harare have invested in the gas business, enabling the use of gas haulage trucks with secret compartments to smuggle gold into South Africa,” it said.

On the borders, there appears to be a lack of capacity and will to stop gold smuggling.

It is clear the payment system is not suiting those who end up smuggling costing the country the much-needed revenue. On the other hand, it is a clear sign that the Apex bank needs to re-look at its payments to gold producers as buyers interviewed by the Global Initiative revealed that they were selling between 10% and 30% of their gold to the Fidelity Printers and Refiners (FPR) only to maintain their gold licences, with the rest being sold on the illicit market.

Calls for RBZ to reduce gold coin mass

TEPE
-
0
Calls for RBZ to reduce gold coin mass

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has been advised to consider reducing the mass of gold coins in order to cover some sections of the country’s population which might not be able to raise money to buy an ounce of gold.

Rudairo Mapuranga

RBZ recently announced the introduction of the gold coins as a store of value amid soaring inflation and depreciation of the local Zimbabwean dollar against major currencies. Local agents commenced selling the gold coins on an agent basis at the initial price of 1,823.80 per gold coin (an ounce) or in ZWL$805,745.35 using the willing-buyer-willing-seller rate selling rate as of 22 July 2022.

Speaking to Mining Zimbabwe former Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) Vice President who is also the current Chief Executive Officer of the Cotton Council of Zimbabwe (CCZ) Engineer Chris Murove said there should be lower value coins of half or quarter an ounce to enable many people to hedge against inflation which has hit the country and the world at large.

“In due course, there should be added lower value coins like ¼ and ½ ounces to ensure that the gold coins are affordable to a wider section of the Zimbabwean populace,” Engineer Chris Murove said.

Mineral Economist Lyman Mlambo said the corporate community and government should address the issue of affordability to ensure that Zimbabweans are earning enough money to be able to afford to preserve the value of what they are earning.

“This is really an issue of affordability, which needs to be addressed by increasing the disposable incomes of Zimbabwean citizens. Before people can store value (money) in gold coins as an asset they must have the value in the first place. This is no different from other assets. Better economic policies that result in more disposable income for workers and small-medium business enterprises should be implemented. How the macroeconomic environment could be improved is a wider discussion than the affordability of just gold coins,” Mlambo said.

Internationally, gold coins are used in countries such as China, South Africa and Australia to hedge against inflation and as an investment opportunity, although they are not as widely used as currency as envisaged by Zimbabwe’s central bank.

ZIMSHEC, ZSM & MSU introduce safety training program

TEPE
-
0
ZIMSHEC, ZSM & MSU introduce safety training program

THE Zimbabwe Mining Safety Health and Environmental Council (Zimshec) has partnered the Zimbabwe School of Mines (ZSM) and the Midlands State University (MSU) to introduce a skills development programme for small-scale miners in the Midlands and Matabeleland regions.

Zimshec was formed last year by small-scale and artisanal miners to promote occupational health and safety, environmentally-friendly and sustainable mining practices.

This follows deaths of several miners after getting trapped in mineshafts due to poor safety and mining practices.

Zimshec Safety Health and Environmental Council manager Thubeluhle Sibanda said the three-month training programme would cover occupational health and safety risks to miners.

“As Zimshec, we realised that most small-scale miners are not well-equipped in terms of knowledge of safe mining. We have managed to have about 30 students attending a three-month training course at the ZSM to undergo what we call first aid and proto teams training,” Sibanda said, adding that every mine should have first aid kits and a first aid team to respond quickly to accidents.

“The courses introduced at MSU will commence on August 1 and will cost US$200. Upon completion of the course, they will be awarded certificates in safety, health and environment in small-to-medium scale mining. The course has six modules which include an introduction to safety, health and environment in mining, an introduction to risk and conflict management, plant machinery and materials application, professional ethics and practice in mining, environmental impact assessment norms, technological entrepreneurship and innovation in mining,” Sibanda added.

Mines minister Winston Chitando said:  “Small-scale miners are now contributing 60% of the total gold output in Zimbabwe and the ministry will support Zimshec by all means possible in its efforts to train small-scale miners.  We will organise awareness campaigns and workshops which will ensure that Zimshec connects and meets up with donors who can actually help small-scale miners.”

Newsday

EIA 1st before exploration – Court

TEPE
-
0
EIA 1st before exploration – Court

High Court Judge Musithu J, granted an interim interdict that prohibited Pearline Mineral Exploration from conducting an aeromagnetic survey over Shangani Ranch in Insiza District before carrying out an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

According to a report by the Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (ZELA), Pearline had carried out an aerial survey using a low-flying aeroplane over land on which it had been granted an Exclusive Prospecting Order without carrying out an EIA. The company was prospecting for a number of minerals including gold, silver, copper, antimony, lead and many more.

“The problem is, this was being done without a prior environmental impact assessment having been conducted as required by the law. Shangani Ranch had never been approached by the mining company in connection with the exploration works,” ZELA said in a statement.

“Perturbed by the developments and the threats to its farming operations, the land owner rushed to court for an interdict. This case revolves around non-compliance with EIA requirements by a mineral exploration co, a major problem and headache for many landowners and communities in Zimbabwe,” ZELA continued.

In its decision, the court indicated that the grant of an Exclusive Prospecting Order does not exempt the prospector from first obtaining an EIA from the Environmental Management Authority.

Judge Musithu J described the exploration as illegal and said there is no law that stops aggrieved parties from approaching courts for urgent relief to protect their interest. This was after Pearline argued that Shangani should have approached the Environmental Management Agency to obtain an order to stop prospecting activities as an alternative remedy in terms of Section 97(3) Environmental Management Act.

“…victim of the illegal exploration may not fold their arms, and wait for the Agency to issue the order referred to in the EMA Act. A party in the position of the applicant with all the massive investments at stake, would not choose to remain nonchalant while its rights were being trampled upon. Further, I do not read the law to be implying that an aggrieved party cannot approach the courts for urgent relief to protect their interests…”  the judge said in his ruling.

Shangani Ranch conducts ranching operations on the land in question. It is involved in cattle ranching with a herd of 8 000 cattle, wildlife conservation, Safari hunting and acts as an elephant sanctuary and home to White-backed Vultures and White-Headed Vultures, which are considered to be critically endangered species. It exports beef products to the United Kingdom and employs 400 employees mostly drawn from the local community.

For more on the landmark ruling click HERE.

Invictus Energy renews EIA

TEPE
-
0
Invictus Energy renews EIA

Australia Stock Exchange-listed energy exploration company, Invictus Energy Limited has renewed its Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) which was recently approved by Environmental Management Agency (EMA) Managing Director Scott Macmillan has said.

Rudairo Mapuranga

According to Macmillan, EMA has renewed the EIA for Special Grant 4571 to July 2023. EMA issued an EIA Certificate number 8000092F361 and has granted Geo Associates (Private) Limited, the Company’s 80 per cent owned subsidiary and holder of SG 4571, permission to operate in accordance with Part XI of the Environmental Management Act (Chapter 20:27), subject to certain specified terms and conditions that are normal for such an authority.

“The Company is very pleased to have the Environmental Impact Assessment and our Environmental Management Plan renewed by EMA,” Macmillan said.

Macmillan said, the renewal of the Environmental Management Plan concludes the permitting requirements and enables the company to undertake activities in the field including seismic acquisition and exploration drilling. The initial EIA assessment conducted in 2019 by independent environmental consultants, the Scientific & Industrial Research & Development Centre (SIRDC) is one of the largest assessments conducted in Zimbabwe.

“The EIA survey conducted by SIRDC has been one of the most comprehensive surveys undertaken for an exploration project in the country and we thank them for their thorough and professional work,” he commented.

 The EIA assessment included field surveys and baseline measurements of hydrology, ecology, environmental, archaeological, hydrogeological, soil surveys and socioeconomic and community consultations of the key project stakeholders, local leaders, relevant government ministries and government extension offices. The community information sessions were well attended with up to 1,000 participants at some meetings.

1...406407408...762Page 407 of 762