…calls for greater exploration investment, saying vast underutilised mineral ground holds the key to future gold output growth.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, Dr Thomas Utete Wushe, has challenged Zimbabwe’s gold producers to intensify efforts to unlock an estimated six million hectares of prospective ground, saying the country’s geological potential provides a pathway for sustained growth in gold production, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Ryan Chigoche
Addressing delegates at the Gold Symposium during the Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe Annual Conference in Victoria Falls, Dr Wushe urged producers to look beyond current output levels and focus on expanding the country’s resource base through exploration and mine development.
“We challenged the gold producers just in the other room this morning. We said 50 tonnes, is it the best we can do? Considering that we have six million hectares of land that might be frozen for one reason or another, we need to make sure that we convert that six million hectares of possible positive geology into gold,” he said.
Dr Wushe said unlocking the dormant ground could significantly increase Zimbabwe’s production potential and strengthen the country’s position among Africa’s leading gold-producing nations.
“That can actually transform 100 times easily. And so we should go for that. We should aim for gold. We should aim to be the best.”
The call comes as Zimbabwe seeks to build on record gold production of 46.7 tonnes achieved in 2025 and maintain its standing among the continent’s major bullion producers.
While acknowledging the country’s strong performance, Dr Wushe said continued growth would depend on expanding exploration activities to identify new resources and develop the next generation of mines.
“We lost from, we were number two, slid slowly to three, four. I think if we don’t do anything about it, we might actually find ourselves number five, six.”
To accelerate that process, Dr Wushe announced that Zimbabwe will host its inaugural Exploration Indaba in Bulawayo on July 29, bringing together government, industry and academia to discuss strategies for unlocking investment and advancing mineral exploration.
“I can promise you that on the 29th of July in Bulawayo, there will be our inaugural indaba to dissect and shape the future of exploration in Zimbabwe. The government will be there in full force to support the chamber.”
The planned indaba comes as government places greater emphasis on exploration as a critical component of long-term mining growth, with new discoveries expected to replenish resources and support future production.
Dr Wushe noted that exploration and mine development are inherently long-term processes, but said they remain essential if Zimbabwe is to unlock the vast tracts of prospective ground currently lying dormant.
At the same time, he said the industry’s long-term ambitions must be supported by areas capable of delivering immediate production gains. In that regard, artisanal and small-scale miners continue to play a pivotal role, accounting for approximately 75 percent of gold deliveries to Fidelity Gold Refinery.
“Within the long game, there are pockets of opportunities for quick returns that will propel the long game. It’s a long game for sure, but within the long game, there are pockets of opportunities for quick returns that will propel the long game. So this is where we see the role for artisanal and small-scale miners. We want to call upon you to find those pockets of opportunities that will propel the movement of our mining industry into a giant transformational effort for Zimbabwe,” Dr Wushe said.
On the policy front, the Permanent Secretary reaffirmed government’s commitment to maintaining a conducive operating environment for mining investment.
