Association of Mining Journalists catches attention international mining fraternity

NEWLY established Association of Mining Journalists (AMJ) has caught the attention of the international mining fraternity with the African Mining Strategy Group commending local media for forming the group and pledging to work with local journalists.

Led by Tafadzva Dube who is the president, the AMJ has also since partnered with the Zimbabwe School of Mines to offer an intensive one week certificate in mining journalism course set for a date to be announced.

The partnership with the School of Mines has been hailed as a noble initiative to equip journalists with specialised knowledge and skills to effectively report on the mining industry.

The Africa Minerals Strategy Group recently invited AMJ for a continental zoom meeting to interact with Blaze Metals, an African company headquartered in Dubai, UAE with interest in precious minerals.

Blaze Metals was recently certified as a member of the International Responsible Jewellery Council, a development that is set to develop the mining industry as well as a cross section of stakeholders including the media in the continent.

Blaze Metals was founded in Ghana by Mr Oheneba Prince Kofi Poku and has operations across Africa including Zimbabwe.

The company specialises in trading, refining and distribution of gold and other precious metals as silver.

The partnership will go a long way in capacitating AMJ members as RJC brings together over 1 800 companies of all sizes .

Speaking at the zoom meeting Mr Patrick Mulindwa, the Chief of Staff and Head Strategic Communications / Partnerships for Africa Minerals Strategy Group said they want to work with Zimbabwe journalists to do continental mining stories.

“We are going to have am engagement as AMSG. Blaze Metals are also strategising to engage media. This will be a start of a long journey , this is not going to stop here, we are going to work together,” he said.

Dube said AMJ was seeking more partnerships to capacitate its members and enhance skills on mining reporting.

“These partnerships aim to ensure that journalists have access to accurate and up-to-date information, thereby promoting transparency and informed reporting. We are reaching out to many partners and we are grateful about the responses so far,” he said.

AMJ has 20 members drawn from print, broadcast and online publications.

-@ncubeleon