adminPatrick Chitumba Midlands Bureau Chief
Government has ordered chrome miners along the Shurugwi-Zvishavane Highway to start reclaiming pits after extracting the mineral immediately and to stop mining close to the highway shoulders.
The chrome miners have been posing a threat to the highway and the lives of animals due to unplanned extraction of the mineral.
Since the surge in chrome prices on the world market, there has been an increase in the extraction of the mineral along the road, a development that has seen excavators and front-end loaders being used by miners just a few metres from the Shurugwi-Zvishavane highway.
Minister of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs, Larry Mavima and senior Government officials toured the highway yesterday where he ordered chrome mining activities to conform to mining rules and regulations.
After touring the place, Minister Mavima said the miners must employ methods safe for the road infrastructure, motorists and livestock.
“Chrome mining has attracted a lot of miners because of the surge in prices on the world market.
“However, after touring operations along the Shurugwi-Zvishavane Highway I have seen that some have been mining too close to the road thereby threatening this road.
“Mining should take place 70 meters away from the left and right road shoulders. Those mining within 70 meters must stop,” he said.
Minister Mavima said Government will only deal or work closely with registered miners.
“Everyone here must be registered and you must also reclaim the pits left after extraction. The problem comes when people and animals fall into the pits and therefore the need for you to reclaim them and also avoid land degradation,” he said.
The provincial minister encouraged Environmental Management Agency (EMA) and the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development to make sure that all miners were conducting mining activities using the correct methods.
Officials from Runde District Council, EMA, Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, Government department heads and small-scale miners were part of the tour.
In March, 64 miners were fined over $2 000 by EMA for environmental degradation and failing to reclaim pits left after the extraction of chrome.
Online Reporter