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Sikhulekelani Moyo, [email protected]

THE recently launched medium-scale miners’ body Junior Chamber of Mines Zimbabwe (JMCZ) has said there is a need to establish a Miners Bank which will assist in financing their operations.

Last month medium-scale miners converged at the Zimbabwe School of Mines and established JCMZ, a body meant to deal with the concerns of members and foster professionalism in their operations.

JCMZ has proposed to be an affiliate of the Zimbabwe Chamber of Mines working with four critical committees, which include the Gold Development Committee, the Non-metal Committee chaired by Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ), Safety Healthy and Training chaired by the Zimbabwe School of Mines and the Mining Business Development Committee.

Last week the executive and members of JMCZ had a meeting in Gweru, Midlands province where they were presenting the chamber’s road map.

It is where JMCZ president, Mr Brian Samuriwo said their aim as a team is to make sure they bring the cost of doing business in the mining sector down.

He said they are going to set up local mechanisms through JCMZ committees where he said mining consumables, mining equipment, mining machinery, fair labour practices and the welfare of employees will be key areas to focus.

Mr Samuriwo said the mining sector should generate its capital, which they can use in their operations without stressing the Government.

“We need a miner’s bank, we need finance, and we need to oil up our operations. The Junior Chamber must be liquid. We must crowd-fund ourselves; we must finance ourselves and we have a roadmap to this.

“Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ), Fidelity Printers and Refineries (FPR), and banks are going to come and witness the good tidings exhibited by the JCMZ,” he said.

“We are the enablers of the middle-income economy in Zimbabwe. We generate finance through mining, we employ from within our communities through mining and the value chain stretches down and upstream.

“Those limping must be assisted to walk. We must create a sound financial model for the mining sector. We must develop standards towards sustainable mining operations.”

JCMZ has proposed to be an affiliate of the Zimbabwe Chamber of Mines working with four critical committees, which include the Gold Development Committee, the Non-metal Committee, chaired by Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ), Safety Healthy and Training chaired by the Zimbabwe School of Mines and the Mining Business Development Committee.

In his comment, JMCZ Secretary General Mr Dosman Mangisi said the need to establish a miners’ bank was highly welcomed.

“The most fascinating thing that thrilled the miners at the presentation of the JMCZ roadmap was having a miners’ bank.

“Also, the issue of exploration where we want to have bankable deposits that are proven. On the banks we are looking for banks to partner with us where we have already resolved to pull resources towards that and also in the gold class,” he said.

Unki Mine senior manager Mr Clifford Mutevhe said the chamber should look into the need to invest in skills development, innovation, sustainable mining techniques, and infrastructure development.

He said the chamber will bring sanity to small-scale miners by enforcing safety, health and environment (SHE) standards, representation at Government levels that will aid policy formulation and ability to access capital will improve due to representation at Government level.

Small and medium scale miners continue to play a key role in the extraction of precious stones in the country.

According to ZimStat, during the fourth quarter of 2024, small and medium-scale miners produced 59 percent of the 8 198kgs with 34 percent produced by large scale and seven percent from the secondary producers.

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