Zimbabwe’s efforts to reduce mercury use in artisanal and small-scale gold mining will come under focus this week as government officials, miners and financial institutions meet in Harare to discuss processing technologies, financing and reforms aimed at making the sector safer and more sustainable, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Ryan Chigoche
The planetGOLD Zimbabwe Annual Stakeholders Conference will be held on October 28–29 at Cresta Lodge in Msasa, with discussions centred on how miners can transition to mercury-free gold processing without compromising the commercial viability of their operations.
Artisanal and small-scale gold mining is an important source of livelihoods and gold output in Zimbabwe, but the use of mercury to recover gold presents persistent health and environmental risks. Moving miners towards safer processing methods requires more than awareness campaigns, with access to affordable equipment, technical expertise and financing likely to determine whether mercury-free alternatives can be adopted at scale.
A 2019 government report cited by planetGOLD Zimbabwe estimated that 96% of artisanal gold mining sites used mercury, releasing more than 24 tonnes of the toxic metal annually.
Mercury is used to separate gold from ore, but exposure can damage human health and contaminate water, soil and surrounding ecosystems. Efforts to reduce its use have been complicated by miners’ limited access to affordable alternatives, technical support and formal financing.
Under the theme “Unlocking Responsible Gold in Zimbabwe: Formalization, Financing, and Technology for a Mercury-Free ASGM Sector,” the conference will examine how those barriers can be addressed through coordinated policy, financial and technical interventions.
planetGOLD Zimbabwe Technical Specialist Mollin Siwella said mercury-free processing technologies needed to reflect the practical and economic realities of artisanal miners.
“Mercury-free processing is not just an environmental ambition; it is a practical requirement for the future of artisanal and small-scale gold mining in Zimbabwe,” Siwella said.
“For miners to adopt safer technologies, those technologies must fit the ore they process, be economically viable and be practical to operate and maintain. This conference is an opportunity to connect technical evidence with the realities miners face in the field.”
A key part of the programme will be the launch of A Guide to Reforming Formalisation of the Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Sector in Zimbabwe, which is expected to inform discussions on making formalisation more accessible to miners.
The meeting will also examine financing options for responsible mining enterprises, with contributions expected from mining representatives, the Mining Industry Loan Fund, Fidelity Gold Refineries and financial-sector participants.
Access to finance is important to the transition because miners need capital to acquire equipment, improve processing methods and develop the technical capacity required to operate more responsibly. Without suitable funding, mercury-free technologies could remain beyond the reach of operators working with limited resources.
Siwella said formalisation, financing and technology could not be treated as separate issues, noting that regulatory compliance without technical competence might not resolve safety and environmental challenges, while technology without financing could remain inaccessible.
The programme will also cover skills development and responsible mining, including contributions from the Zimbabwe School of Mines, as well as landscape management and collaboration among mining communities, government and development partners.
On October 29, delegates will examine sustainable artisanal and small-scale mining in protected areas, using the Umfurudzi National Park case to explore how mining activities can be managed alongside conservation objectives.
The conference is being convened under the five-year planetGOLD Zimbabwe project, supported by the Global Environment Facility, led by the United Nations Environment Programme and executed by IMPACT in partnership with the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development and the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife.
The project aims to support 7,500 men and women across 11 mine sites, reduce mercury use by 4.85 tonnes over five years and improve the management of approximately 76,000 hectares of landscapes.
Organisers expect the conference to strengthen cooperation among miners, regulators, financial institutions and technical partners, with particular attention to expanding opportunities for women miners and young people.
“The value of this conference will be measured not only by the discussions held, but by whether those discussions lead to better decisions, stronger partnerships and practical changes in mining operations,” Siwella said.
