Zimbabwe’s Minister of Mines and Mining Development, Hon Winston Chitando, has issued his sternest warning yet to mining operators flouting environmental and legal regulations: follow the law or lose your mining title, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Rudairo Mapuranga
Speaking on Friday at the 2025 Chamber of Mines Annual Mining Conference and Exhibition held in Victoria Falls, Chitando said the time for tolerating environmental degradation and speculative mining claims was over. The minister said the government, under President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Responsible Mining Initiative, will now revoke licences of miners who violate their Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) or operate outside approved practices.
“You don’t mine when you don’t have an EIA. And when you do have one, you mine according to what you committed to in that EIA,” Chitando said. “Some of the sites where granite or coal mining is happening are a sorry sight. Public roads have disappeared, and the environment is in ruins. That has to stop.”
The Minister said the government is finalising the second phase of the Responsible Mining Initiative, which will be launched by President Mnangagwa in July 2025. The new version will contain concrete measures designed to tackle environmental indiscipline head-on.
‘If You Damage the Environment, You Lose Your Title’
Chitando made it unequivocal that irresponsible miners will lose their claims.
“Without any doubt, it has now come to a stage whereby if you violate the environment, you lose your mining title. There is no reason to maintain a mining title when you damage the environment,” he said to rousing applause from industry players and policymakers.
While acknowledging the mining sector’s significant contributions to foreign currency earnings and GDP, the minister emphasised that mining must not come at the expense of communities or the environment.
“The environment and the community should be happy that mining is taking place, not sad. The moment they are sad, there is something wrong,” he said.
Use It or Lose It
Beyond environmental compliance, Chitando took aim at those holding mining claims purely for speculative purposes. The long-awaited “use it or lose it” principle is now being operationalised.
“Some of the claims date back to 1970. When such a person gets a letter from the ministry asking them to justify holding the title, they call it a threatening letter. It’s not threatening—it’s the law,” said Chitando.
He urged all miners—including those aligned with political structures like ZANU PF’s Miners for ED and the Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF)—to meet and agree on enforcing the law transparently and fairly.
“If you are holding a mining title and doing nothing, you must lose it. The amendments to the Mines and Minerals Act, which are expected to be gazetted within two weeks, will make this even clearer and enforceable.”
He added that there are platinum and copper concessions that have been lying idle for over a decade, hampering growth in the sector.
New Legal Framework, Clearer Rules
Chitando revealed that the amendments to the Mines and Minerals Act will introduce tighter rules, including reserving certain mine sizes for locals, classifying specific minerals as strategic, and restructuring how Special Mining Leases (SMLs) are granted.
“A Special Mining Lease guarantees policy consistency over 20 to 25 years, but it must also come with upside for government,” said the minister. “Some investors want guarantees on taxes and royalties but offer nothing in return. That’s unreasonable. Don’t submit those applications.”
He called for a balanced, win-win approach where the state guarantees a favourable investment climate, but investors also commit to mutual growth and fair contribution.
“Let’s respect the law. Some investors think the government should follow the law while they break it. No, we must all follow the law.”
Funding, Power, and Regulation Still on the Agenda
The minister acknowledged outstanding issues in power supply, foreign currency retention, and financing, all of which had been raised by mining leaders and the Chamber of Mines during the conference.
He called on the financial sector to be more connected to the mining industry, noting that “there is a lot we can do to fund our mining sector if we’re deliberate about it.”
The government, he said, remains committed to a collaborative approach, where policy clarity, enforcement, and industrial growth go hand in hand.
Industry Applause for Accountability
Chitando also commended the Chamber of Mines for hosting a “brilliant” AGM, saying the presentations and documentation set a new standard.
“This was an exceptionally well-done conference. When I was president of the Chamber, we never did anything at this level. So, well done,” he said.
He urged strong industry associations to play their part in shaping responsible mining, saying the government alone cannot reach all miners without working through their representative bodies.
As Zimbabwe positions itself as a global mining destination, Chitando’s message was unambiguous: the country is open for business, but only to those who are responsible, law-abiding, and development-oriented.
“We must unlock the full growth potential of the mining industry—but we must do so in a responsible manner. That’s non-negotiable.”
