MMCZ to train young miners

Judith Phiri, Business Reporter
THE Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) has said it will offer outlined training programmes for youths artisanal and small-scale miners on precious, semi-precious stones and chrome in a bid to boost their production capacity and compliment the country’s target to turn the mining sector into a US$12 billion industry by 2030.

MMCZ general manager Mr Tongai Muzenda told Sunday News Business that they had various engagements with the Young Miners Foundation and they were ready to train young miners.

“ With the Young Miners Foundation (YMF) we agreed that we train the youths by chapters in the 10 provinces around the country. They will tell us where training is required and where MMCZ has the expertise we handle the training using internal resources, otherwise we outsource,” said Mr Muzenda.

As the sole marketing and selling agent for all minerals, he also noted that MMCZ was there to assist the young miners with provision of information related to products, markets, export procedures and regulations and consolidation of mineral products from various miners.

Mr Muzenda also said that MMCZ will continue purchasing from young miners for onward resell, provide expertise on marketing and evaluation of minerals and also provide linkages with possible investors for value addition and beneficiation.

“Mining is the fastest growing sector contributing over 40 percent of the GDP and one of the major contributors to export earnings. As part of the efforts to attaining the US$12 billion mining economy by 2023 and to fully benefit from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) pact, young miners should prioritise registering and participating in international fairs and conferences. Also, they should consider online participation in seminars in order to gain knowledge of the industry and use social media to publicise mining activities.”

YMF chief executive officer Mr Payne Kupfuwa said they accepted the trainings MMCZ was willing to offer young miners.

“This arrangement is an outcome of the Minerals Export Trade and Value Addition Seminar we had in Mutare last month. To us as YMF, it is a lifetime opportunity to be trained on skills that we lack to effectively reach optimal exploitation of semi-precious stones and base metals like chrome,” said Mr Kupfuwa.

Mr Kupfuwa said young miners should consider venturing into gemstones mining, stating that the semi-precious minerals were part of the country’s major economic game changer.

“Most young small-scale and artisanal miners prefer gold mining because they believe that it is where most of the money is. But if they also venture into gemstones mining, they can be able to divert the minerals for jewellery manufacturing and decorative purposes.”