Online Reporter
Judith Phiri
[email protected]
THE Ministry of Mines and Mining Development has called on youth miners to be ready to step in as the reserved sector policy takes effect following the recent ban on foreigners participating in the small-scale gold mining sector.
The mining industry of Zimbabwe is the cornerstone of the nation’s economy, contributing between 12 percent and 15 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) and accounting for approximately 75 percent of national exports.
In a keynote address read on behalf of Mines and Mining Development Deputy Minister Engineer Fred Moyo by Masvingo Provincial Mining Director Mr Marshal Muzira at the Young Miners Foundation (YMF) @ 16: Great Stone Summit on Saturday at Chakas Lodges and Resort in Nyika, Masvingo, he challenged young miners to play a positive role in the country’s mining sector.
“The Government of Zimbabwe, under the leadership of President Dr Mnangagwa, has promulgated a policy on reserved sectors. This is not a secret. Certain mining activities and areas are being deliberately reserved for indigenous Zimbabweans, especially the youths.
“But let me be honest with you, a reserved sector is not a charity zone. It is a readiness test. We will not give ground to people who do not know what to do with it. So, I am saying to you today, be ready to step in,” he said.
“That means having your syndicates registered, your business plans written, your environmental assessments started and your teams trained. Do not wait for the licence to fall into your lap. Prepare now. The opportunity is coming, but opportunity favours the organised.”
He said YMF has spent 16 years organising young people into syndicates and securing mining rights, adding that this was exactly the kind of preparation they wanted to see and should continue.
Deputy Minister Eng Moyo said one cannot mine what they do not understand and that he sometimes hears young people say, “mining is just digging”.
“That is simply not true. Mining is geology, metallurgy, engineering and finance. I am pleased that YMF has partnered with the Zimbabwe School of Mines (ZSM) to train young miners in the fundamentals of small-scale mining management.
“I am also encouraged that some of you have been trained in gemstone cutting and polishing. That is value addition. That is the Second Republic’s agenda, but we need more,” he added.
“I want every young miner here to treat the ZSM as your second home. Learn how to read the ground. Learn how to process your ore. Learn how to manage tailings. When you acquire skills, you become irreplaceable.”
He challenged young miners to acquire critical skills through the ZSM and other accredited institutions, saying a skilled young miner was a dangerous competitor in the best sense, while an unskilled young miner was a liability to themselves and to the nation.
Deputy Minister Eng Moyo said they had heard the cry for access to finance and that it was a legitimate concern.
“You cannot mechanise with a shovel. You cannot scale up with hope. The Government is committed to extending financial support to young miners and, as I speak, the Ministry is engaging banks and development finance institutions to avail lines of credit specifically for formalised small-scale miners,” he said.
“But let me be clear, we will extend financial support thereafter, and by ‘thereafter’, I mean after you have shown us that you are formalised, that you have the skills, that you respect the law and that you have a viable operation. No responsible lender gives money to chaos.”
He said the event’s theme, “Honouring Legacy, Shaping a Sustainable Mining Future”, was exactly where the nation stands today as they honour the liberation legacy that gave the land and its minerals.
The Deputy Minister said shaping a future where young miners are not spectators but active participants in the development and growth of the mining sector in the country was critical.
The 16th anniversary was also made special with the donation of a YMF administration vehicle by Mega Mines Private Limited managing director Mr Ronald Mugangavari.
