Online Reporter
Business Reporter
Namib Minerals’ How Mine has been commended for making its practical mining expertise available to small-scale miners in surrounding communities as the company deepens its contribution to safer and more formalised artisanal mining.
This comes as 103 small-scale miners in Umzingwane graduated from a practical mining safety training programme supported by Namib Minerals.
The pioneer graduates received their certificates from National Assembly Member for Umzingwane and Deputy Minister of Defence, Brigadier-General (Rtd) Levi Mayihlome, at a ceremony in Esigodini recently.
The inaugural programme, conducted by How Mine, focused on equipping small-scale miners with practical skills to improve safety and strengthen compliance with mining regulations.
Training covered ground support, hazard identification, prevention of shaft flooding, emergency response, underground gas testing, regulatory compliance and claim registration.
The miners were also taken through the steps required to obtain mine blasting licences and full blasting certificates.
Brig-Gen (Rtd) Mayihlome said mining presented significant economic opportunities but could expose miners to serious risks in the absence of appropriate knowledge, equipment and safety practices.
He said partnering an established operation such as How Mine was critical in transferring practical skills and supporting Government’s efforts to formalise artisanal mining.
“We approached How Mine because we recognised the value of practical experience. There is knowledge that can be found in textbooks and classrooms, but there is also invaluable knowledge that comes from years of operating a mine, managing workers, dealing with mining risks and implementing safety systems,” Brig-Gen (Rtd) Mayihlome said.
He commended Namib Minerals for opening up its expertise to surrounding communities.
“How Mine has generously made its expertise available to our artisanal miners.
“We are particularly grateful for this demonstration of selfless corporate social responsibility.
“Your contribution goes beyond providing training, you are contributing to safer communities,” Mayihlome said.
He said formal training was often expensive and inaccessible to many small-scale miners, making partnerships with established mining companies important in transitioning miners from unregulated operations.
Brig-Gen (Rtd) Mayihlome also commended Namib Minerals for other community projects in his constituency and Bulawayo, including construction of classroom blocks at two primary schools, electrification of a district clinic, provision of borehole water and donation of medical equipment to public hospitals.
Namib Minerals, listed on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange in New York, is expanding How Mine while working to restart Redwing Mine in Penhalonga and Mazowe Mine, extending its investment footprint in Zimbabwe’s gold sector.
How Mine Mine Manager Ophir Gwede said the training sought to close practical knowledge gaps while promoting safe and sustainable mining.
“How Mine’s goal is to bridge the knowledge gap, minimise preventable operational hazards, and empower local miners with the tools and regulatory insights required to operate safely, legally, and sustainably,” Gwede said.
