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The entire mining sector produced 13 tonnes against a target of 15 tonnes.
Small-Scale Miners Federation chief executive officer Wellington Takavarasha said output could have been higher.
“As small-scale miners we could have done a lot better this year but unfortunately over 25 000 small-scale miners lost their claims,” he said.
Takavarasha said output could also have been higher were it not for the high royalties and mining fees that the government levied.
“The Ministry of Mines and Mining Development and the Ministry of Finance are negotiating to have the tariffs slashed to a price applicable and accommodative to the small-scale sector,” he said.
Last year, as part of efforts to support activities of small-scale miners, the Government secured $1 million worth of mining equipment comprising compressors and stamp mills.
The country’s gold sector is on a recovery path following a slump that saw output fall to 3 tonnes in 2008 as effects of the economic meltdown took hold on miners.
The Chamber of Mines has said the entire mining sector requires more than $5 billion in the next five years to operate at full capacity and increase its contribution to the fiscus.
It is hoped that gold volumes would generate $823 million in 2013 in export receipts, up from $334,2 million in 2010 and $627 million in 2011.
In 2010, the mining sector contributed 65 percent of national exports as well as 11,2 percent of Gross Domestic Product and around 13 percent in 2011. — New Ziana
Online Reporter