Zero fatalities must be order of day, Rushwaya
The issues to do with responsible mining are of importance if artisanal and small-scale miners (ASM) are to contribute significantly to achieve the targeted 40 tonnes gold deliveries to Fidelity Gold Refinery (FGR), Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) President Ms Henrietta Rushwaya said.
Rudairo Mapuranga
Speaking on the sidelines of a press briefing on mining precautions during the rainy season by the Minister of Mines and Mining Development Hon Zhemu Soda, Ms Rushwaya applauded the Minister’s clarion call on safe Mining especially during the rainy season.
Rushwaya said small scale miners need to take precautionary measures and must ensure that shafts are collared and covered.
“As small scale miners we need to take precautionary measures at our sites and we must ensure that our shafts are collared and covered. We should also encourage our miners to make proper drainages that capture flowing water.
“Small scale miners contribute 60 percent of the gold that goes to Fidelity and they are a force to reckon with so to achieve the targeted 40 tonnes for 2024, issues to with responsible mining are of paramount importance.
“Zero fatalities in mining must be the order of the day and we should mine in a way that guarantees preservation of lives and environmental sustainability, ” Ms Rushwaya said.
Speaking during the press briefing Minister Soda said the government was going to rollout safety trainings for all artisanal and small scale miners to ensure Zero harm in the mining industry.
The Minister also said that the government will listen to the ideas of stakeholders in the mining industry to prevent or stop incidents in mining.
“Meanwhile the Ministry of Mines is going to role out safety trainings to artisanal and small-scale miners. The training will also ensure how miners can be helped to formalise their operations. Different stakeholders have also advised the government on measures to prevent and stop incidents or disasters. This meaning will not be the last but the Ministry will continue to engage miners,” Minister Soda said.