.png)
Zimbabwe is stepping up efforts to reform its mining sector, with the Responsible Mining Toolkit now in its final stages of development.
Spearheaded by the Zimbabwe Safety, Health and Environmental Council (ZIMSHEC), the initiative aims to tackle the rising number of mining disasters by promoting safer and more sustainable practices, especially among small-scale and artisanal miners.
The toolkit complements the Government’s Responsible Mining Audit, which enforces compliance with environmental, safety, and labour regulations across the industry.
ZIMSHEC Executive Director Philemon Mokuele confirmed that widespread consultations were conducted in Mberengwa and Gwanda, involving mine managers and key stakeholders from government agencies, local authorities, NGOs, and the Environmental Management Agency (EMA).
“We gathered frontline experiences to build a toolkit grounded in the real challenges miners face,” Mokuele said.
He emphasised the urgent need to formalise the artisanal mining sector, which often operates outside the law, posing serious health and environmental risks.
These include tuberculosis, silicosis, and noise-induced hearing loss, as well as widespread land degradation from reckless mining practices.
“Compliance remains low in the sector, which undermines formalisation efforts,” he noted. “This toolkit is designed to tackle those gaps head-on, offering clear, statutory-aligned guidelines for best practices in mining.”
As small-scale miners account for 60% of gold deliveries to Fidelity Printers and Refiners, their role in Zimbabwe’s mining-driven economy—contributing around 12% of GDP and the bulk of foreign exchange earnings—cannot be ignored.
ZIMSHEC has already rolled out safety training programs and PPE awareness campaigns, while investigating mining accident sites to uncover root causes. These insights directly inform the toolkit’s content.
With completion expected before year-end, the next steps include validation, nationwide training workshops, and adoption monitoring to ensure miners implement what they learn.
The urgency of these reforms is underscored by Zimbabwe’s mining death toll in 2023, which hit 237 fatalities—the worst in over five decades.
The government has repeatedly called for life-saving interventions, including proper drainage systems, reinforced mine supports, and real-time weather monitoring.
“This toolkit is more than a guide—it’s a lifeline,” Mokuele said. “Once launched, it will be distributed across all mining provinces to ensure maximum impact.”
