President Emmerson Mnangagwa has issued a powerful challenge to young Zimbabweans to aggressively occupy the mining sector and other productive areas of the economy, declaring that the country’s development trajectory under Vision 2030 demands a generation of diligent, focused, and patriotic youth, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Rudairo Mapuranga
Addressing over 30,000 young people from all ten provinces at the National Youth Day celebrations held at Igava Training Centre in Marondera, Mashonaland East Province, the President made it unequivocally clear that the future of Zimbabwe’s mining industry lies in the hands of its youth.
“The targets in our National Development Strategy 2 and Vision 2030 demand young people who are diligent, focused, hard-working, and patriotic. Go ahead and occupy the space,” President Mnangagwa declared to thunderous applause.
He specifically challenged the youth to “deliver more results in agriculture, mining, tourism, manufacturing, among SMEs, as well as in the science, technology, and innovation arena.”
The President expressed unwavering confidence in the younger generation’s capacity to drive the nation’s industrial transformation. “I have faith and confidence that the current crop of young people in our country is up to the task,” he said.
Speaking under the theme “Youth Agenda for Transformation,” President Mnangagwa applauded the accomplishments and milestones already achieved by young people across various economic sectors.
“Meanwhile, the accomplishments and milestones realised by the youth in various fields confirm that you are indeed becoming architects of Zimbabwe’s future,” he stated.
He emphasised that under his Administration, young people are increasingly embracing projects and programmes for climate-smart agriculture, infrastructure development, digital technologies, and entrepreneurship.
“You are not merely spectators in our ongoing development journey; you are active participants and are demonstrating remarkable leadership. What we are witnessing across the country reflects that the quest to Vision 2030 of becoming an empowered and prosperous upper middle-income society is on course. Well done,” the President added.
Across Zimbabwe’s mining landscape, young entrepreneurs are already heeding the President’s call, building substantial operations that span multiple minerals and value chains, proving that the Second Republic’s empowerment policies are translating into tangible wealth creation.
In the lithium sector, Nyasha Chido, through his company Ionosphere Investments, has established a significant lithium processing plant in Harare’s Bluffhill industrial area. The facility produces lithium concentrates with a targeted annual output of 36,000 tonnes, with plans to scale up to 70,000 tonnes, positioning Ionosphere among the country’s top four lithium producers. The company has secured full export authorisation from the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development and operates across multiple minerals, including tin, tantalum, and beryl.
Ionosphere’s integrated approach, from mining to processing to export, demonstrates the sophisticated level at which young Zimbabweans are now participating in the critical minerals value chain. The company has explicitly supported the government’s ban on raw lithium exports, aligning itself with the national beneficiation agenda.
In the chrome sector, Darel Mubu has emerged as a leading young industrialist. Through his company, BlackBull Mining Services, Mubu provides specialised consultancy services, including plant design, optimisation, and project management for small-scale miners. Beyond consultancy, he has established a chrome mining and processing facility in Mutorashanga, one of Zimbabwe’s premier chrome-producing regions. His operation focuses on chrome washing and beneficiation, ensuring that the mineral leaves Zimbabwe in a processed state rather than as raw ore.
Mubu also serves as Vice President Business and International for Junior Chamber International Kumalo (JCI) and works closely with organisations like the Association of Junior Mining Professionals of Zimbabwe (AJMPZ) to build youth capacity in Zimbabwe’s mining economy. His dual role as operator and capacity builder exemplifies the holistic approach young Zimbabweans are bringing to the sector.
The Young Miners Foundation, with which Mubu is also associated, has acquired a 300-hectare chrome concession in Mvurwi and launched the “Chrome Processing Initiative” project in collaboration with the Zimbabwe Artisanal Miners Association (ZAMA). The project aims to create employment for at least 500 people while promoting structured, professional chrome beneficiation.
