Vusumuzi Dube
Senior Management and staff of Vubachikwe Mine in Gwanda descended on the mine recently to ensure all is in place ahead of the kicking off of the small-scale gold project and a return to production for the mine.
Vubachikwe Gold Mine was moved onto care and maintenance following an illegal violent strike over back pay that resulted in the loss of property triggering the shareholders to stop production.
Already teetering at the brink then, owing to poor management by an erstwhile team that had mined the mine into a corner, shareholders showed the team the exit and started building a competent team of new management to bring the mine back to winning ways and a view of developing the mine into a bigger sized project by world class standards as well as build a resource of at least five years.
Key onto the road to the realisation of that dream as well as the phased reopening of the mine to optimal size dubbed the RESTART project, an smaller scale mining project has therefore been put in place and went through a successful cold commissioning under the watch of mine manager None Kananji.
Managing Director Allan Dolan led the team as boots on the ground descended to meet the team putting together the project as well as perform the proverbial rite of “crossing the t’s and dotting the i’s” ahead of the start of the small scale project.
Mine spokesperson Robert Mukondiwa said morale was high in the camp with worker optimism and excitement at its highest ever since the dark events of 8 November 2024 when the strike was held.
“As you can expect there has been a lot of anxiety from all key stakeholders around the mine from government, workers, genuine service providers as well as the shareholders themselves as there had been limbo for nearly two years. The workers were at their most optimistic seeing their principal Mr Dolan visit the site and inspect the project ahead of it’s start. This showed in no uncertain terms both his commitment and leadership ahead of the commencement of mining,” said Mukondiwa.
“The buzz and excitement is palpable and there is no stopping the forward movement that will see Vubachikwe start producing again in determined volumes until such a time over a period of time,when we shall return to yesteryear volumes,” he added.
Adding to the excitement are positive and optimistic results coming from a South Africa-based technical consultant that Vubachikwe engaged which has done extensive work to ensure that moving forward management can be guided by facts in deciding correct mining techniques throughout the mining lease and never suffer the prospect of being mined into a corner again.
“The technical expertise has been engaged to meticulously work on the ground and deliver a concise report on the state of the mine to ensure that going forward facts and figures by experts become part of the Vubachikwe story as it unfolds into an optimistic and bright future,” said Mukondiwa.
A substantial number of members from the workforce will join the team upon restart, with a set skill-set being needed to add onto the number that has been responsible for caring for, and maintaining the mine ever since the ceasing of production.
Online Reporter