Mining ZimbabweLatest Mining News, Policy and Industry Updates

ZIMBABWE Mining Workers (ZMW) president Kurebwa Javangwe Nomboka has urged mining companies to pay their workers COVID-19 allowances as the sector is regarded an essential service.

Nomboka urged the mine workers’ National Employment Council (NEC) to push for the allowances as mine workers were at high risk of contracting the coronavirus.

Last year, the government exempted the mining industry from COVID-19 lockdowns.

“Chinese mining companies don’t follow safety, environmental standards, regulations or rules. Most employees are not properly graded, they pay employees way below NEC minimum wages, and their employees work long hours.  There is no overtime, no holiday, and they treat every day as a working day,” Nomboka said.

He also alleged that most Chinese mining companies do not remit money to the National Social Security Authority (Nssa), the Mining Industry Pension Fund (MIPF), and to mine unions.

The ZMW president said most workers in the mining sector were job-insecure due to lack of fixed contracts at most mines.

“There are arbitrary dismissals and workers work excessive hours without being paid overtime allowances, while most mine workers earn below the poverty datum line, and have no rights to form unions,” he said.

Newday

Zimbabwe’s yellow metal export receipts rose 7.6% to US$1.057bn by mid-November this year from US$982.3m during the same period last year due to improved gold deliveries.

The year 2021 was a year of two halves where the deliveries were on the low side during the first half when 9.948 tonnes were delivered and the strong second half of 15.41 tonnes, with the spike in deliveries inspired by incentives and timeous payments.

Despite the fluctuations in deliveries, 2021 was characterised by firm prices due to the fact that when the US$ is vulnerable to inflation, the bullion works as a back-up currency.

According to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ), gold export receipts are expected to further improve next year riding on the current high volumes.

“Latest gold shipments stand at US$1.056bn against US$982.3m shipped last year and this is mainly due to improved deliveries and firming prices. “Gold export receipts rose 10.5% up to the end of September 2021 to US$788.7m from US$713.9m recorded during the same period last year,” RBZ said.

Mineral export receipts reached US$4.4bn from US$3.65bn, mainly due to strong performance from platinum which contributed US$2.3bn.

Gold deliveries rose 45% to 25.36 tonnes during the 11 months of the year from 17.44 tonnes delivered to Fidelity Printers and Refiners (FPR) during the same period last year due to improved mining conditions and incentives.

The cumulative gold output of above 25 tonnes is the third highest national production level with a month to go, the national output is expected to surpass 28 tonnes.

Gold output rose 127% in November this year to 3.33 tonnes from 1.47 tonnes recorded during the same period last year.

The November production is the highest output so far this year followed by September output of 3.17 tonnes.

From the 25.36 tonnes delivered to FPR, small scale miners accounted for 15.21 tonnes with primary producers chipping in with 10.14 tonnes.

Gold is Zimbabwe’s third largest foreign currency earner behind platinum and diaspora remittances.

However, the sector had been stymied by delays in paying for gold delivered and prices lower than those prevailing on the international market thereby fuelling smuggling of the yellow metal.

In June, the central bank scrapped taxes on small scale miners, began timeous payments and paid the prevailing international gold prices.

Zimbabwe is targeting an output of 100 tonnes by 2023. Experts say there is a need to review retention for the large scale miners and capacitation of small scale miners to ramp up production.

The government has moved to provide equipment in gold centres to move towards helping the attainment of US$4bn gold export revenue.

The government wants to establish new gold centres following a sudden increase in output.

The gold centres are expected to provide basic equipment such as compressors and jackhammers as well as working capital to facilitate optimal production by small-scale miners who supply gold ore.

Some of the gold centres are expected to be established in Makaha, Odzi, Mount Darwin, Shamva, Mazowe and Silobela.

Business Times

TWO illegal gold panners died Monday while another was seriously injured and hospitalised after a shaft they were working in collapsed at a Banket farm.

The illegal prospectors had allegedly dug pits in search of gold at ID Farm situated six kilometres from Banket, along the Mazvikadei Resort Road.

The two fatalities occurred a few days after the farm had become the epicentre of a gold rush.

Last weekend, illegal gold panners, commonly known as makorokoza, descended on the disputed farm in search of the precious mineral, before a truckload of anti-riot police officers with dogs was deployed on Saturday evening.

Tear smoke canisters were thrown to disperse the hordes of illegal prospectors while police dogs were also unleashed on the panners.

According to villagers in the area, police officers took advantage of the chaos, and looted gold ore which they loaded onto their truck before a decision was made to allow some panners back onto the scene to share the loot.

“These police officers are so corrupt, so rotten to the core. They were using tear gas canisters to disperse us before loading gold ore onto their truck, but what we are certain about is that the ore will never get to the station as they will take it to mill and share proceeds of their theft,” a source said.

Mashonaland West provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Margaret Chitove referred NewZimbabwe.com journalist to national spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi, who could not be reached by the time of publishing.

Meanwhile, a tweet by police said as of December 12 this year, a total of 130 people had been arrested under Operation Chikorokoza ngachipere/Isitsheketsha Kasiphele’, and ‘No To Machete Gangs’, bringing the cumulative arrests to 62 739.

Four machete-wielding Shamva gold panners were arrested and arraigned before the courts after they murdered rivals in a gold rush.

Charles Mhako (33), Oniaus Sindura (32) ,Tafadzwa Mafudza (27) and Mlindeli Moyo (26) were on Monday not asked to plead to two counts of murder when they appeared before Bindura magistrate Samantha Dhlamini.

Prosecutor Sheiller Kudzai Maribha alleged that the four and accomplices who were part of a gang of over 20 people, attacked Ranganai Muchemwa along with Marvellous  Chiriga, Trust Mupedziswa and Valentine  Bepura.

Muchemwa and Chiriga died on the spot but Bepura and Mupedziswa escaped unhurt, leading to the suspects’ arrest.

Newsday

The “Mining in Southern Africa 2021″ report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering.

Southern Africa has produced a large number of minerals, including over 25% of the world’s diamonds, over 13% of its graphite and 10% of its uranium. The region contains deposits of a range of minerals, many of which are not exploited. Dozens of companies are actively exploring in the region, but challenges include a lack of skilled workers and inadequate infrastructure. While a large number of companies are involved in mining in Southern Africa, artisanal mining forms a large part of the industry.

Opportunities

Southern Africa’s mining industry is benefiting from rising demand for a variety of minerals as the world economy recovers. Most countries in the region have identified mining as important for economic development and are trying to develop their mining sectors. With many deposits unexploited and rising demand for various minerals, there is potential for the development of new mines.

Infrastructure

In some countries, economic development is hindered by the lack and poor condition of transport, water, electricity and telecommunication infrastructure, while transportation costs are increased by poor road infrastructure due to long distances travelled at low speeds. The logistics of delivering heavy equipment and materials to build a mine in remote areas, where the road systems are poor, pose a challenge to mining companies. Inadequate electricity supply is a serious problem, with the provision of alternative energy sources adding to companies’ costs.

Report Coverage

This report focuses on mining in Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe, which constitute the African Union’s Southern Africa region. It includes comprehensive information on mineral occurrences, developments and corporate actions as well as the state and size of the sector, trade and regulations.

There are profiles of 43 companies including Debswana and Mupane Gold Mining in Botswana, Zimbabwe Platinum Mines, Swakop Uranium and Namdeb in Namibia, Montepuez Ruby Mining in Mozambique and Lubambe Copper Mine in Zambia.

Key Topics Covered:

1. INTRODUCTION

2. REGION INFORMATION

3. DESCRIPTION OF THE INDUSTRY
3.1. Industry Value Chain
3.2. Geographic Position

4. SIZE OF THE INDUSTRY

5. STATE OF THE INDUSTRY
5.1. Local
5.1.1. Trade
5.1.2. Corporate Actions
5.1.3. Regulations
5.2. Continental
5.3. International

6. INFLUENCING FACTORS
6.1. Coronavirus
6.2. Economic Environment
6.3. Lack of Infrastructure
6.4. Technology, Research and Development (R&D) and Innovation
6.5. Government Incentives and Support
6.6. Environmental Concerns
6.7. Labour

7. COMPETITION
7.1. Barriers to Entry

8. SWOT ANALYSIS

9. OUTLOOK

10. INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS

COMPANY PROFILES

• African Chrome Fields (Pvt) Ltd
• AfriTin Mining Ltd
• B2Gold Namibia (Pty) Ltd
• Bikita Minerals (Pvt) Ltd
• Bindura Nickel Corporation Ltd
• Chibuluma Mines PLC
• CNMC Luanshya Copper Mines PLC
• Companhia Siderurgica do Cuchi S.A.
• Consolidated Nickel Mines Ltd
• De Beers Marine Namibia (Pty) Ltd
• Debswana Diamond Company (Pty) Ltd
• Empresa Nacional de Diamantes de Angola EP
• Great Dyke Investments (Pvt) Ltd
• Hwange Colliery Company Ltd
• Kagem Mining Ltd
• Kansanshi Mining PLC
• Khoemacau Copper Mining (Pty) Ltd
• Letseng Diamonds (Pty) Ltd
• Lodestone Namibia (Pty) Ltd
• Lubambe Copper Mine PLC
• Lucara Diamond Corp.
• Lumwana Mining Company Ltd
• Maamba Collieries Ltd
• Makomo Resources (Pvt) Ltd
• Maloma Colliery Ltd
• Mimosa Mining Company (Pvt) Ltd
• Minergy Ltd
• Morupule Coal Mine (Pty) Ltd
• Mupane Gold Mining (Pty) Ltd
• Namdeb Diamond Corporation (Pty) Ltd
• NFC Africa Mining PLC
• Prospect Resources Ltd
• RioZim ltd
• Rosh Pinah Zinc Corporation (Pty) Ltd
• Rossing Uranium Ltd
• Storm Mountain Diamonds (Pty) Ltd
• Swakop Uranium (Pty) Ltd
• Unki Mines (Pvt) Ltd
• Zimasco (Pvt) Ltd
• Zimbabwe Platinum Mines (Pvt) Ltd

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/yxkv3i

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Zimbabwe will not allow mining companies to displace communities from their ancestral lands and those communities should have the final say on the operations of mineral extraction companies on their land, President Mnangagwa said yesterday.

Addressing thousands of Zanu-PF supporters during a rally at Chidodo Primary School in Uzumba after attending the memorial service of the late former Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services Commissioner-General, Major General Paradzai Zimondi, President Mnangagwa said foreign investors were welcome in Zimbabwe, but they should respect the country’s laws and customs.

“We do not want people who come to do mining in an area and disrupt people’s ways of lives,” said the President.

“Communities come first and that should be respected. No mining should happen unless the people and their community leaders agree.

“If the community says a project cannot go on, that should be final.

“I heard that there were people who wanted to do mining on school premises. That is unacceptable.

“I told the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution (for Mashonaland East, Apollonia Munzverengwi), that all those who try and impose their projects on communities should be reported.”

He said foreign investment is welcome in Zimbabwe, but the country should set the rules of engagement.

A foreign miner was recently stopped from operating in Uzumba after pegging a claim on a piece of land housing close to 70 homesteads.

He said in order to fulfil his vision, Government is implementing rural industrialisation projects countrywide.

“In Mutoko, they produce a lot of horticulture, but they used to travel to Harare incurring high transport costs and sometimes being subjected to unfair prices at Mbare and other major markets.

“So, we decided to open a tomato processing factory; those with tomatoes are now selling to the factory which in turn value adds,” said President Mnangagwa.

Click the link below to see President Mnangagwa at the late Zimhondi memorial

He said the same development model was being replicated in Mwenezi, Masvingo Province where he recently commissioned a marula processing plant.

“We want to make sure that every district has its own factory which processes natural resources that are abundant in that respective area.

“For instance, we have plans to set up a facility which processes masawu into marketable products in Mount Darwin.

“No one should be left behind,” the President added.

President Mnangagwa said over the next four years, the Government will drill over 35 000 boreholes, one in every village countrywide under a programme meant to boost horticulture production.

“The boreholes we are referring to are not rudimentary labour intensive boreholes, but solar-powered boreholes.

“Each community will have its own horticulture project which will generate revenue for communities.”

Turning to the late Major General Zimondi, President Mnagagwa said the national hero was an astute agent of rural development.

He described the late Major General Zimondi as a compassionate and fair leader who wanted the best out of everyone.

Zanu-PF supporters listen to President Mnangagwa’s address at Chidodo Primary School in Uzumba yesterday. – Picture: Believe Nyakudjara

“When Zimondi notified me that he was retiring, I told him that he should rest for a few months only as I had another assignment for him. Unfortunately, he died before I could give him that assignment,” said President Mnangagwa.

Click the link below to see President Mnangagwa at the late Major General Zimondi memorial

The President was accompanied by Vice President and Health and Child Care Minister Dr Constantino Chiwenga, Zanu-PF Second Secretary Kembo Mohadi, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona and several other senior Government officials.

The Government has been honouring national heroes who died from Covid-19 related complications and had to be buried under stringent conditions.

Last weekend, President Mnangagwa was in Mberengwa for late Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Dr Sibusiso Moyo’s memorial.

Major General Zimondi, whose Chimurenga name was Tonderai Nyika, succumbed to complications related to Covid-19 and was buried at the National Heroes Acre on the same day as former Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Dr Sibusiso Moyo and former Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Dr Biggie Matiza in an historic triple burial at the national shrine.

The Sunday Mail