Online Reporter
VICE President Dr Constantino Chiwenga today headlines the Mine Entra Exploration Symposium in Bulawayo, where Government, mining executives, investors, geologists and industry experts are expected to deliberate on strategies to unlock Zimbabwe’s vast mineral potential through increased exploration.
The symposium, one of the flagship events of the Mine Entra exhibition, comes as Government continues to prioritise mineral exploration as a key pillar in achieving the country’s vision of building a US$12 billion mining industry and driving economic growth under the National Development Strategy 1.
Delegates are expected to discuss investment opportunities, emerging exploration technologies, critical minerals, value addition and beneficiation, as well as policy reforms aimed at attracting local and foreign investment into Zimbabwe’s mining sector.
Zimpapers is on the ground and will bring you live updates, speeches, key announcements, interviews and pictures from the symposium as they happen. Stay tuned for comprehensive coverage throughout the day.
Mine Entra Symposium focuses on unlocking Zimbabwe’s mineral wealth
VICE-President General (Retired) Dr Constantino Chiwenga today headlines the inaugural Exploration Symposium at the 29th edition of Mine Entra in Bulawayo, underscoring Government’s determination to unlock Zimbabwe’s vast untapped mineral wealth through increased investment in mineral exploration.
The symposium, one of the flagship events of Mine Entra 2026, which began on Wednesday, comes as Zimbabwe steps up efforts to expand its mining industry by accelerating the discovery of new mineral deposits to sustain long-term production, attract fresh investment and advance the country’s ambition of building a US$12 billion mining economy.
Held under the broader Mine Entra theme, “Unearth, Transform, Prosper: Anchoring Economic Transformation through Mining Value Chains,” the symposium has drawn Government policymakers, global exploration experts, geologists, investors, mining executives and financial institutions to deliberate on strategies for strengthening mineral exploration, promoting junior mining companies and deploying modern technologies to improve mineral discovery.
Vice-President Chiwenga is expected to deliver the keynote address following presentations by Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe officials and Mines and Mining Development Minister Dr Polite Kambamura, who will outline Government policy priorities and incentives designed to stimulate mineral exploration and support the growth of junior mining companies.
Exploration is widely regarded as the bedrock of a sustainable mining industry as it replenishes depleted mineral reserves, extends the lifespan of existing mines and unlocks new mining projects capable of generating employment, export earnings and downstream industrial development.
Zimbabwe is endowed with more than 60 known mineral occurrences, including gold, platinum group metals, lithium, chrome, diamonds, coal, copper and rare earth elements.
However, large sections of the country’s geological potential remain underexplored, presenting significant opportunities for new discoveries and investment.
Against this backdrop, delegates will examine practical measures to strengthen Zimbabwe’s exploration ecosystem, improve access to exploration capital, enhance geological data availability and position the country as a preferred destination for global mineral exploration investment.
The symposium is expected to produce practical recommendations to accelerate exploration activity, expand Zimbabwe’s mineral resource base and reinforce mining’s position as the country’s largest export-earning sector and a key driver of industrialisation, value addition and economic transformation.
VP Chiwenga tours Mine Entra stands ahead of Exploration Symposium
Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga on Thursday morning toured exhibition stands at the Zimbabwe International Exhibition and Conference (ZIEC) Smart City ahead of delivering the keynote address at the high-level Exploration Symposium being held as part of the 29th edition of Mine Entra.
The Vice President was accompanied by Industry and Commerce Deputy Minister Raj Modi, Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Permanent Secretary Mr Paul Nyoni, Mines and Mining Development Permanent Secretary Dr Thomas Utete Wushe, Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe executives, Zimbabwe International Trade Fair board chairman Mr Busisa Moyo and chief executive officer Dr Nicholas Ndebele, among other senior Government and industry officials.
During the tour, Dr Chiwenga visited several exhibition stands showcasing mining technologies, mineral processing and related services. These included Dinson Iron and Steel Company (Disco), Mutapa Gold Resources, Fidelity Gold Refineries, Hwange Colliery Company and Heman Africa Machinery Equipment Company, where he interacted with exhibitors on their operations, investment plans and contribution to Zimbabwe’s mining value chain.
Zimbabwe urged to ramp up lithium mineral exploration
THE Government has been urged to accelerate initiatives aimed at promoting mineral exploration to unlock billions of dollars in international exploration funding and safeguard Zimbabwe’s position as a leading global producer of strategic minerals.
Mining experts say sustained exploration is critical for discovering new deposits, replacing depleted resources and ensuring the long-term growth of a sector that remains a key pillar of export earnings, foreign direct investment and economic development.
Particular emphasis has been placed on lithium, a strategic mineral driving the global energy transition, with Zimbabwe emerging as Africa’s largest producer and holding some of the world’s most significant hard-rock lithium deposits.
Presenting a paper on creating an enabling environment for junior mining in Zimbabwe at the ongoing Mine Entra in Bulawayo, geologist Mr Kennedy Mthethwa said the country needed to strengthen support mechanisms for exploration companies, particularly junior miners, to unlock its vast but underexplored mineral wealth.
Mr Mthethwa said exploration remained the foundation of any successful mining industry, warning that failure to continuously discover new deposits could threaten future production levels.
“We are very happy to say that we are now producing 7 to 8% of the global lithium production from our five mines.
“My question I leave with you is, so after these mines are depleted, where are the next lithium mines?
“Are we going to go from 8% global lithium production to 1% to 2% because there is no new lithium mine from exploration in pipeline now and this we can talk of gold as well and other minerals.”
“Exploration is very important because without exploration there is no mining. We need to create an environment where exploration companies can come in and invest billions of dollars into finding new deposits,” said Mr Mthethwa.
He said Zimbabwe’s extensive mineral endowment presented a major opportunity to attract global exploration capital, but highlighted the need for supportive policies and regulations that encourage investment into early-stage mineral discovery.
“Exploration companies are the ones that take the risk of looking for these deposits. We need to make sure that we create a conducive environment for them because without them we will not have future mines,” he said.
Zimbabwe has attracted significant investment into its lithium sector in recent years, with several projects now operational or under development, strengthening the country’s position in the global battery minerals market.
However, industry experts say maintaining this momentum will require accelerated exploration programmes to identify new resources and build a pipeline of future mines.
The push for increased exploration comes as Government places mining at the centre of economic transformation under the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), with the sector expected to continue driving export growth, employment creation and foreign direct investment.
Mining remains one of Zimbabwe’s largest foreign currency earners, contributing significantly to export receipts and attracting a substantial share of investment inflows.
Industry players say continued resource replacement through exploration will be essential if the country is to sustain production levels and maximise value from its mineral resources.
