Online Reporter
Nqobile Bhebhe in Harare
Mining stakeholders, including artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) actors, policymakers, civil society organisations, and private sector representatives, have converged in Harare for a two-day engagement aimed at addressing challenges and opportunities within Zimbabwe’s artisanal gold sector.
The event forms part of the planetGOLD Zimbabwe Annual Stakeholders Conference 2025, which runs under the theme “Building Together for a Sustainable ASGM Sector.”
In an update, the organisers said: “The Annual Stakeholders Conference brings together key stakeholders from the planetGOLD Zimbabwe project, including artisanal and small-scale mining actors, policymakers, civil society, and the private sector, to discuss challenges and opportunities for the artisanal gold sector.
“This year’s conference will focus on sharing updates from the first year of the project while engaging across stakeholders to ensure we are collaborating for a responsible artisanal gold mining sector.”
Key conference objectives include providing comprehensive updates on project activities and progress across all components, sharing experiences, tools, lessons, and knowledge products with diverse stakeholders, creating a feedback loop to inform 2026 project planning, and enabling cross-sector dialogue and networking within the artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector — especially among women miners and youth.
In his opening remarks, Chief Engineer in the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, Mr Michael Munodawafa, told delegates that Government is committed to fully formalising the artisanal sector and reducing the use of mercury.
“The Ministry also recognises the pivotal role being played by artisanal and small-scale miners in creating employment within the gold sector. Most of our artisanal miners may currently be informal miners, but we are aiming, through the help of planetGOLD, to move them into responsible, inclusive, and sustainable miners,” said Mr Munodawafa.
planetGOLD Project Manager, Ms Nyaradzo Mutonhori, said the planetGOLD Zimbabwe project is about reducing mercury through a holistic, multi-sectoral, integrated formalisation approach.
“So our first component of the project is the formalisation component, and our second component of the project is about access to finance through responsible practices.
“This is where we identify groups of artisanal and small-scale miners, help them to build their responsible mining practices, and to be legally compliant so that we have a mercury-free gold supply chain. Our third component is enhancing uptake of mercury-free technologies so that we meet and exceed our target of mercury reduction. The fourth component is around communications and knowledge,” she said.
The meeting comes at a time when small-scale miners continue to outperform large mining houses in gold deliveries.
Official figures show that gold deliveries surged by 37 percent to 32.98 tonnes in the first nine months of this year, up from 24.2 tonnes during the same period last year — placing Zimbabwe firmly on track to achieve its 40-tonne national target.
However, concerns have been raised over unfair practices within the industry.
A recent Portfolio Committee on Mines and Mining Development report noted disturbing trends among some large-scale miners allegedly manipulating payment models originally designed to support artisanal and small-scale operations.
The committee noted that while ASM producers continue to deliver the bulk of Zimbabwe’s gold, some large-scale operators are exploiting incentives such as the five percent tax rebate and 100 percent foreign currency payments for gold deliveries — effectively tilting the playing field and undermining policy objectives.
According to the committee’s report on the inquiry into responsible mining by the ASM sector in Zimbabwe, Fidelity Gold statistics confirm that small-scale miners have consistently outperformed large-scale producers over the past five years, reinforcing their position as the backbone of Zimbabwe’s gold economy.
Between 2020 and 2024, the ASM sector widened its dominance. In 2020, small-scale miners delivered 15 tonnes against 10.5 tonnes from large-scale producers, representing 59 percent of total output.
The upward trajectory continued in 2021 with 16.5 tonnes delivered against 11 tonnes; in 2022, with 17.8 tonnes against 11.8 tonnes; and in 2023, with 18.6 tonnes compared to 11.4 tonnes.
The most dramatic gap was recorded in 2024 when small-scale producers delivered an impressive 23.7 tonnes, almost double the 12.7 tonnes from large-scale operators, accounting for nearly two-thirds of the country’s total 36.4 tonnes that year.
The planetGOLD Zimbabwe project is part of the planetGOLD programme currently implemented in 25 countries.
The project works together with local communities to reduce the use of mercury in artisanal and small-scale gold mining while improving the health and lives of local mining communities.
About 96 percent of artisanal gold is produced using mercury.
In Zimbabwe, the project aims to support 7,500 men and women in 11 districts, including Filabusi, Gwanda, Zvishavane, Esigodini, Bubi, Kadoma, Chegutu, Bindura, Mazowe, and Shamva.
Londile Moyo