Online Reporter
MANAGEMENT at Vubachikwe Mine in Gwanda, Matabeleland South Province, who have started accelerating the development of their ML16 mining lease area have wished the nation a happy Uhuru day weekend, amid plans to accelerate their operations with indications that their operations are about to shift a gear up.
Following over two years of intensive research that has cost hundreds of thousands of dollars with their international technical partners, indications point towards the Duration Gold run mine releasing a pleasing Joint Ore Reserves Committee (JORC) report imminently, which is likely to please shareholders as well as the Government and community stakeholders.
“The company joins the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe Cde Mnangagwa and the nation at large in celebrating 45 years of independence, freedom and sovereignty; This celebration comes at a time when we see the immense growth of the mining industry and marked growth in the economy, which signals the realisation of an upper-middle-income economy by the year 2020 with mining accounting for much of that growth,” said the company in a statement.
“We are pleased to say this milestone also comes at a time when we are also receiving positive news from our technical partners which indicates that our Vubachikwe Mine in Gwanda is ripe for responsible mining with results from a JORC report we commissioned expected to give us a spring in our step as we work towards a resource building exercise. It has always been our policy to encourage responsible mining practices that will ensure the mine has at least a five-year resource built up as well as a great life of mine that is managed by responsible managers,” reads part of the media statement.
The mine’s spokesperson Mr Robert Mukondiwa emphasised that while the operations on the mine had mellowed following an illegal strike in end 2022, management had started building equipment with a view to gearing for a “new era” for mining at the sleeping colossus that is Vubachikwe.
“We are building resources from mining equipment to security infrastructure to ensure that when we sift some gears up on ML16, we will be the living epitome of the Zimbabwean mining dream, with clear living testimony that our mining lease is in the hands of willing and able custodians who, barring illegal overtures on our mining lease and no harassment to our operations dubious characters with sinister intentions and conflicts of interest, can perform exceedingly well for the good of the nation,” said Mr Mukondiwa.
“As a company that treads the straight and narrow, we have always had our battles in the world of mining because it is a cut-throat world, but buoyed by the laws of the country which safeguard international investments and a President who has a passion and deep personal interest in seeing mining grow, we have more than enough confidence to invest in this beautiful country which is bequeathed with great resources which we responsibly exploit for the good of the nation and the community,” said Mr Mukondiwa.
“Mining lease 16 is a jewel in the crown of mining in Zimbabwe and is greatly enviable. We will guard it jealously and ruthlessly as we move forward in our intention to help the president and government’s dream to have an economy buoyed and underpinned by mining as the heartbeat and epicentre of the economy,” he added.
“Forty-five years after attainment of independence Zimbabwe deserves to harbour the dream of becoming an upper middle income economy and we want to be there, standing shoulder to shoulder with the president and people of Zimbabwe to celebrate it when we attain that milestone which is no doubt easily attainable given the seriousness of authorities in pursuing that dream,” Mr Mukondiwa further noted.
A JORC report is a standardised format used in the mining industry to publicly report exploration results, mineral resources, and ore reserves. It’s a widely recognised and respected international standard for reporting on these aspects of mining projects, ensuring transparency and accountability. The JORC Code provides a systematic approach to classifying and reporting mineral resources and reserves, setting a high standard for the industry.
Management reported that they would share details of the “pleasing” report as soon as it had been presented in its entirety, with shareholders and government as well as relevant stakeholders also being presented with the findings.
