Emmanuel Kafe
THE Ministry of Mines and Mining Development has launched a 90-day exercise to digitise mining title records, in a move aimed at improving the administration of mineral rights and strengthening the country’s mining information system.
The programme, which began on October 15, will cover the ministry’s head office in Harare and provincial offices in Bindura, Bulawayo, Chinhoyi, Gwanda, Gweru, Marondera, Masvingo, and Mutare.
In Public Notice No. 05/2026, the ministry said the exercise would create a “complete, accurate and accessible register of mineral rights” through the Mining Cadastre Information Management System (MCIMS). The notice stated that the digitisation programme would involve the capture of existing mining title records, with ministry-appointed teams conducting the exercise from designated offices.
Mining title holders whose surveyed coordinates are missing from ministry records have been urged to submit the required documentation within 90 days. The ministry said title holders should provide the “title or claim number and title holder’s name”, together with surveyed coordinates defining their mining areas and the coordinate reference system used. They must also submit “a copy of the survey plan, survey diagram, or beacon certificate” supporting the coordinates.
The ministry said the documents should be submitted to the provincial mining office where the title is registered, adding that “coordinates will be verified by the Ministry’s survey staff before being recorded”. The verification process is expected to improve the reliability of mining title records and help establish accurate information on registered claims and licence boundaries.
An accurate mining cadastre is important for efficient administration of mineral rights and can help investors establish the status of mining claims before committing resources to exploration and extraction.
The ministry also assured stakeholders that “all records remain in Ministry custody and will be handled in confidence”. It noted that officials could contact title holders to clarify incomplete or unclear information, while emphasising that “no payment is required for this exercise”.
Teams conducting the programme will carry official identification, and stakeholders have been urged to cooperate with the ministry to support the development of a reliable mining title register.
The initiative forms part of efforts to modernise mining administration and improve access to reliable information in a sector that remains central to Zimbabwe’s exports, investment, and economic growth.
