Tinaye Agere
Zimpapers Politics Hub
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has reiterated the need for value addition and beneficiation of minerals, riding on increased local capacity around science, technology and innovation.
He made the remarks while officially opening this year’s edition of Mine Entra in Bulawayo today.
The edition is being held under the theme ‘Unearthing Success: The Mining Value Chains, Innovation and Industrialisation Nexus’.
“The theme resonates with my Government’s ongoing policy thrust of mineral value addition and beneficiation, riding on increased local capacity around science, technology and innovation,” President Mnangagwa said.
“It is indeed through greater focus on mining value chains that we will derive maximum value from our mineral resources for sustainable development.
“As you are aware, everything we depend on is either made from minerals or relies on minerals for its production.
“Minerals, from rare earth elements to gold, platinum and lithium, are the building blocks of modern societies, with micro components of smartphones and larger modern materials required for electric vehicle manufacturing and renewable energy systems, all dependent on the mining sector.”
President Mnangagwa said more companies, professionals and stakeholders in the field recognised that the key to staying competitive and sustainable was in the ability to adopt new technologies that boost process efficiency and resource optimisation.
“These technologies ensure the exploitation of new and more complex mineral deposits, increase productivity and precision in exploration and extraction processes,” he said.
“This allows for remote operations, reduced waste, improved equipment utilisation as well as lower maintenance costs, among others.”
The President said the urgent challenge was not only to produce more, but to also produce better and that the benefits of mining should extend beyond mere extractive processes to positively impact communities and the planet as a whole. – @ ZimpapersPoliticsHub
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