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Prosper Dembedza Court Correspondent
Government has evicted a mining firm which has been operating at Rushinga Dolomite Mine for the past 20 years after ruling that it has been extracting minerals on a claim belonging to another company.
G and W Industrial Minerals is now expected to vacate the mine to end a long running and widely published dispute with Seldo Mining Company.
The vacation of the claim will pave way for Seldo Mining Company, the legitimate owners to start work.
In a judgment by the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development delivered at the end of last month, the Mashonaland Central acting mining director concluded that the claim belonged Seldo.
“G and W block number 25955 BM is wrongly placed on the ground,” said the ministry. “It is supposed to be further to the South West of where it currently lies as shown on the attached map.
“Consequently, G and W Mining Plant that is supposed to be inside block 25955 is also located inside Seldo Mining’s block number 37310.”
Seldo Mining’s lawyers Mahuni and Matatu have since written to G&W demanding they evict the claim.
“Regrettably, our client can no longer accommodate your plant and now demands that within 30 calendar days you terminate your operations, remove your equipment and personnel from block 37311 Rushinga Dolomite,” they said.
“Our client wishes to utilise the full block for its mining activities and your plant is sitting on top of a potential deposit. Furthermore, your occupation is unjustifiable and incompatible with our statutory duties and obligations.”
Seldo Mining indicated that it had bought more machinery to expand its operations and to fully utilise the claims illegally occupied by G&W.
Previously, the mining claims had been occupied by Agricultural and Rural Development Authority and G&W took occupation on the strength of a tributary arrangement with the organisation.
When the tributary agreement expired in 1989, G&W continued working on the mining claims illegally.
G&W and Seldo clashed over the claims, resulting in the Mining Commissioner for Mashonaland Central intervening.
The Mining Commissioner’s office investigated and established that G&W had been operating illegally over the years.
Online Reporter