ZMF targets 1. 5 tonnes monthly from artisanal miners
Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) has put a target of 1.5 tonnes of gold from artisanal miners popularly known as (Amakorokoza) every month for the next three months as a way to prove to the nation that artisanal miners are important players in the mining sector, ZMF Secretary-General Morgan Mugawu has said.
Rudairo Dickson Mapuranga
Speaking at the Miners meeting in Norton which aims at mitigating violence in the mining sector as well as empowering miners through regularisation and formalisation of artisanal miners, the ZMF Secretary-General said that, the Federation is targeting 1.5 tonnes from 500 thousand artisanal miners each producing about 3 grams a month.
“Zimbabwe Miners Federation is targeting 1,5 tonnes of gold from artisanal miners, we are looking from 500 thousand artisanal miners across the board in Zimbabwe each targeting to produce 3 grams and get paid on spot by Fidelity and that 3 grams from every miner a month equal 1.5 tonnes,” said Morgan Mugawu.
According to Mugawu, the Federation is looking forward to capacitation of the small scale mining sector through formalisation and other measures and upon completion of the capacitation process, ZMF is targeting over 500 tonnes a month from these registered small scale miners.
“Our target is 1.5 from artisanal miners, on the small scale the 40 thousand that are registered we are looking upon capacitation they have to be capacitated and upon capacitation, we are targeting at least half a tonne from these guys hence as a team will be producing at least 2 tonnes,” Mugawu said.
The ZMF Secretary-General also said that the Federation is working to make sure that artisanal miners are recognised as the most important players in the mining industry in Zimbabwe.
“We need to show the nation that most players are artisanal miners who will be producing 1.5 tonnes every month,” said Mugawu.
During the first half of the year gold delivery to the country’s sole gold buyer and exporter, Fidelity Printers and Refineries was at 12.3 tonnes of which the government is targeting the sector to produce at least 40 tonnes in 2019, the year 2018 saw Zimbabwe reaching a record 33.3 tonnes.
Of the 12.3 tonnes of gold produced in the first half of 2019, over 60 per cent is by small scale and artisanal miners.
The recognition of artisanal gold miners is a formidable way towards Zimbabwe achieving the 12 billion mining industry by 2023.