New gold service centres for artisanal miners Minister Walter Chidhakwa
Minister Walter Chidhakwa

Minister Walter Chidhakwa

Kamangeni Phiri Midlands Bureau Chief— 
GOVERNMENT is setting up gold mining service centres throughout the country to normalise operations of small-scale miners commonly known as makorokozas, the Minister of Mines and Mining Development, Walter Chidhakwa, has said. Minister Chidhakwa, who was addressing small-scale miners at Wanderer Falcon Mine in Shurugwi on Monday, said the Government and Fidelity Printers and Refiners were contributing $500,000 each to the $1 million project.

He said: “We are working very closely with the Ministry of Finance and Fidelity Printers and Refiners. Fidelity has an interest that the refinery must continue to get gold throughput. I asked Fidelity to set aside some funds and we as the ministry of Mines will set up these centres starting with $500,000, and asking for a similar amount to come from Fidelity. This amount is for the centres.”

Government — working with the Chamber of Mines and the Zimbabwe Miners federation — intends to set up seven gold mining service centres in the country.
The Shurugwi centre is the pilot project while some of the other centres will be in Zhombe, Shangani, Gwanda and Turk Mine where small-scale mining is rife.

Minister Chidhakwa said the Government would provide equipment for the gold mining service centres through a Chinese $100 million equipment facility meant to revitalise the mining sector.

“For the equipment, we have been in discussion with the Chinese. There is a $100 million facility that we are expecting and we understand that the first batch of equipment is on its way. This equipment will also now be deployed to improve the capacity of small scale gold miners. We also went into discussions with Russia and we went to Russia with the Minister of Finance (Cde Patrick Chinamasa) and during the visit by the Russian Foreign Minister an agreement was signed between ZMDC and a Russian company that provides equipment,” he said.

Min Chidhakwa said Government would continue to capacitate and improve operations in the mining sector and boost gold production since gold mining remained the mainstay of the economy.

The Minister said Government expects to see artisanal miners contributing a lot to the production of gold.
“In the next 12 to 18 months we must see real robust activity in the mining sector. We must get back and exceed the 29 tonnes (per annum) that we were producing in 1997. There is no reason why we cannot do that and a bigger part of the 29 tonnes must come from small scale gold miners,” he said.

Minister Chidhakwa said the centres would be run by skilled miners and engineers who will offer training to artisanal miners.
He said small-scale miners would be recruited in groups and receive training that will help them enhance production without risking their lives and health.

“When we have done that we have provided buying centres but they are not only buying centres, they are also gold mining service centres. We have started the processes of recruitment now. Our team led by the Chief Government Engineer, Charles Tahwa, is recruiting technical people who include geologists. We want geologists to be located in places like this so that you can engage them whenever you get a new claim. They can give you advice. Our Mining Engineers in the provinces can also give you technical advice so that you do things the proper way. This increases gold from you small-scale miners.

When gold increases in the economy we have the resources to now develop infrastructure,” said Min Chidhakwa.
He challenged the Bulawayo-based School of Mines to decentralise and start being visible in other provinces by offering skills through training artisanal miners.
Minister Chidhakwa said the School of Mines must train artisanal miners how to sink a shaft and protect themselves from harmful substances.

The minister said friends like the Chinese, Russians and others could come and assist Zimbabwe but the best source of national economic development lay with Zimbabweans.
The Shurugwi gold mining service centre will start training 80 artisanal miners in groups of 20 people.

Min Chidhakwa commended the Chamber of Mines for working closely with the Zimbabwe Miners Federation in setting up and equipping the centres.
“I am happy that on the private sector side, from the perspective of chamber of mines, they have seen it necessary also to work with government to ensure that as quickly as possible we bring to the fore all small scale gold producers. But it takes time, it takes resources. It is that partnership that is going to give us the growth that we are looking for,” he said.

Min Chidhakwa said the centres should be self-sustainable with members servicing machinery in future.
Ian Saunders, who is Chamber of Mines gold producers committee chairman, said the chamber wanted to help artisanal miners realise more money from their mining activities.
He said the chamber would help the small-scale miners respect environmental laws and work with protective clothing, among other issues.

You Might Also Like

Comments