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Midlands Correspondent
FALCON Gold (Falgold) Zimbabwe subsidiary, Golden Quarries in Shurugwi, is embroiled in a bitter claims wrangle with artisanal miners that are refusing to vacate claims in the Wanders area.
The artisanal miners, who number more than 200, invaded the claims last year and some have set up makeshift gold milling plants.
Golden Quarries mine manager Mike Rust told Business Chronicle that the mine would engage the district administrator (DA) to resolve the impasse.
“These people met with the late Ray Kazembe (then mine manager) in November last year and said they were prepared to pull down their structures.
“They asked to be given until 31 March and this was granted. A day before the deadline, they came with the DA and he said they didn’t have to move and could stay for three more months,” said Rust.
“I said that position is illegal. However, I’ll meet the DA and find out what his position and from then on we’ll see the course of action to take.”
Rust said the presence of the illegal gold panners has affected operations of tributaries, who are leasing gold claims from Falgold.
Chaderopa Chaderopa, the coordinator of Wanders Integrated Syndicate, a mining consortium which is mining on the claims, insisted that the artisanal miners were mining on their land.
He said due to unsafe practices, a number of the panners have been buried in some unsafe mine shafts, most of which have gone unreported.
“We’ve had challenges where some panners are mining in our claims and therefore it’s now a cat and mouse game.
“Some of them are heavily armed and we’ve had to enlist the services of security personnel,” said Chaderopa.
“Some of them work in unsafe environments and there have been reports of many mine shafts collapsing going unreported, while some like the one which was reported last month reach the authorities.”
The Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) has been on a crusade to register artisanal and small scale miners with a view of formalising their operations to ensure environmental sustainability and that all the gold harnessed goes to the relevant bodies.
Online Reporter