Miners strike $5m gold deal

Oliver Kazunga, Senior Business Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Miners’ Federation (ZMF) has partnered an investor from South Africa, Gold Genius in setting up a $5 million gold service centre at Queens Mine in Bubi District.

The service centre, which is the first of its kind in the country by ZMF, would be used as a pilot project that the two parties are set to roll out in different parts of the country starting next year.

Speaking before the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on the investment project at Queens Mine yesterday, ZMF first vice president Mr Ishmael Kaguru said the gold service centre will benefit the Bubi small-scale  miners as well as others outside the district.

“As ZMF, I am very delighted that this project will benefit small-scale miners, the community of Bubi District and the country at large. ZMF together with the Zimbabwe School of Mines are looking forward to graduate Bubi small-scale miners to medium through this joint venture,” he said.

Mr Kaguru said the centre is a one stop shop equipped with technical people who are going to educate miners on how to do proper mining that places emphasis on safety.

“The technical people will be in the field to service the miners,” he said.

Last year, under the Government’s project, the first gold service centre was set up at Peace Mine in Silobela.

The gold service centre at Bubi is expected to be commissioned before the end of next month.

Mr Kaguru said through the gold service centres, small-scale miners in the country would for the first time benefit from their sands unlike what was happening when stamp mills are used.

“When the small-scale miners use stamp mills, they do not benefit from their sands. Instead the stamp mill owner benefits,” he said.

In an interview, Gold Genius chairman Mr Pierre Roux said it took them three years to put everything in order before partnering with BSSMA through ZMF.

“Our partnership is driven by the desire to have a safe mining environment in Zimbabwe. By the first half of next year, we are also looking forward to have set up five other gold service centres in Fort Rixon, Filabusi, Matopos, Shangani and Kwekwe,” he said.

Mr Kaguru said the gold service centre would benefit the association’s more than 300 members.

— @okazunga.