Govt must ensure sanity prevails in mining areas

Mining of diamonds is in full swing in Marange where different mining companies are exploiting the precious mineral. Zimbabwe is now the world’s seventh biggest producer of diamonds and has the capacity to meet 25 percent of the global diamonds demand.
Last November, the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) gave Zimbabwe the green light to export Marange diamonds. The country not long ago discovered large deposits of platinum in Mhondoro-Ngezi in Mashonaland West, Zvishavane and Shurugwi both in the Midlands Province and new coal deposits were recently discovered in the Gwayi area in Matabeleland North. The mining of platinum is also in full swing under Zimplats in Mhondoro-Ngezi, Mimosa Platinum Mine in Zvishavane and Unki Mines in Shurugwi. There is a gold rush in Kwekwe after the discovery of new gold deposits in the Sherwood area, about 20km outside Kwekwe city along the Kwekwe-Harare Road. Thousands of fortune seekers have descended on the area prompting security agents to cordon off the area. Thousands of people including some from outside the Midlands Province are anxiously waiting to be given the green light to start panning for the alluvial gold in the area. Many of them have been visiting the Zanu-PF district offices in Kwekwe to register their mining syndicates.
The Ministry of Mines and Mining Development has since deployed a team of geologists to Sherwood Park to assess the situation and probably determine the quantities of gold in the area. Midlands Governor Jason Machaya said those to be considered first when it comes to exploitation of the mineral were the local communities of Sherwood, then Kwekwe and thereafter the Midlands Province at large. This is in line with the Government policy which stipulates that the locals should benefit from their own natural resources such as minerals.
The team of geologists that is reported to be on the ground in Kwekwe, we want to believe, will not only determine the quantities of gold but will also recommend the best methods of exploiting the mineral. The Government has already indicated that it prefers mining syndicates in the event that the technical team sent by the Ministry of Mines confirms that it is viable to undertake mining activities in the area. What is important is to ensure that there is organised mining so that the locals benefit from their natural resources while at the same time the environment is protected.
The security measures that have been put in place should be maintained until such a time that sanity prevails in the area. Given the numbers of people that have turned up and want to move in to search for the precious mineral, disaster is imminent unless there is thorough screening of those allowed to undertake the mining. We want to once again appeal to Government to ensure there is order at Sherwood Park as we do not want to witness chaos similar to what happened at Chiadzwa diamond fields in Manicaland before Government moved in to restore order.