Online Reporter
Business Reporter
Zimbabwe’s minerals marketing body, the Minerals and Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ), has raised a red flag over what it terms “unsustainable” mining activities in the chrome and granite sectors that are inflicting serious environmental damage on
the country.
The MMCZ, responsible for the marketing of all Zimbabwean minerals except gold and silver, said persistent environmental concerns stem from operations that continue to cause significant degradation, noting the current scale of mining was characterised by
widespread environmental abuse.
The MMCZ’s concerns underscore a growing crisis concerning the environmental cost of the country’s mineral wealth exploitation. The damage is a direct threat to local ecosystems and the livelihoods of communities near mining sites, many of which depend on
agriculture and clean water sources.
“Environmental concerns persist within the granite and chrome mining sector,” said the MMCZ.
“Granite and chrome mining operations continue to cause significant environmental degradation, including vegetation clearing, rubble dumping, disruption of natural river flows, and pollution. This necessitates stringent enforcement of environmental laws by
relevant agencies to ensure sustainable mining practices and land rehabilitation.”
Granite mining has intensified in Zimbabwe, particularly in the Mutoko area of Mashonaland East Province, where investors are flocking to extract the hard rock primarily for export. The surge in activity comes as a boost to the country’s mineral earnings, with the
country exporting 79 000 tonnes of granite valued at US$10 million during the eight months to August 2025.
Environmental groups have long criticised the lax enforcement of existing laws, pointing out that current penalties for environmental violations are often too low to deter well-funded mining companies. Experts argue that the low fines are simply viewed as a
negligible “cost of doing business,” undermining the authority of agencies like the Environmental Management Agency (EMA).
The MMCZ’s warning adds significant weight to these concerns, as it comes from a powerful state entity involved in the sector’s economic output.
“This puts the spotlight firmly on the Government to demonstrate the political will to enforce compliance, especially against both local and foreign-owned entities operating in the highly lucrative granite and chrome extraction areas,” Mr Musara, a development
economist with a local university, said.
The Government has previously taken steps, such as banning certain forms of alluvial (riverbed) mining in other sectors, but critics maintain that systematic and consistent enforcement across all minerals, including granite and chrome, remains a formidable
challenge.
Peter Tanyanyiwa