A 6-month small scale mine venture in Kadoma, Tutsi mining is proving that small scale and artisanal miners have the capacity to grow to a standard world-class mine.
Rudairo Mapuranga
According to Tutsi Mine Managing Director Mr Thulani Murukayi, the mine which is developing from artisanal mining to small scale has been empowering the community in which they are operating with different initiatives for the past five months.
The mine has been reconstructing and constructing roads, sinking boreholes, employing more than half of its workers from the community and is planning to build a nursery school just behind the mine.
Construction of 30 houses for its workers is also expected to begin in the first half of the coming year, showing that with consistency small scale mining can grow to sustain the economy.
“We are building roads and have managed to sink boreholes, more than half of our workers are coming from the community and we are planning to build a nursery school here.
“We are also planning on building 30 houses for our workers,” Thulani said.
According to Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) Mashonaland West province chairperson Mr Timothy Chizuzu addressing workers at the mine the initiative for the development and growth of the small scale and artisanal mining sector through formalization and standardisation to maximize production is being met at Tutsi mine.
Chizuzu however advanced Murukayi to address some things to make his operations attractive to national and international standards.
“We discovered that thy are many things which they need to address but the current is proof enough that our sector has all it takes to take the country to the 2030 vision,” Chizuzu said in part as he addressed workers at Tutsi mine in Kadoma.
According to the ZMF MashWest Chairperson Mr Timothy Chizuzu, standardisation of small-Scale mining through advancing to professional mining is of great significance for small scale Miners to achieve ZMF’s target to contribute US$4 billion in revenue by 2023.
Chizuzu said institutions like the school of mines should work in reciprocal with small scale Miners to achieve a world-class and advanced small scale mine that can mine low grades and very deep.
“Small Scale Miners should be assisted in terms of skills development. We have discovered that the office of mining engineers, geologists and metallurgists are of uttermost importance in the maximization of production to reach the US$12 billion mining industry. We recommend that institutions like the school of mines should bring their students to Miners to assist in the standardisation process, we need them, they need us” Chizuzu said.
He said his executive was working towards educating Miners to take exploration very serious through their mining journey.
