Vusumuzi Dube
Judith Phiri , Business Reporter
THE Young Miners Foundation (YMF) is set to roll out a mentorship incubation and acceleration programme that aims to assist youths in mining formalise and professionalise their operations.
This development comes at a time the mining sector continues to register significant strides towards realising the ambitious US$12 billion milestone by the end of this year. YMF chief executive officer (CEO), Mr Payne Kupfuwa told Sunday News Business that formalisation was key to positively contributing to the national target.
“As we roll out the mentorship incubation and acceleration programme the aim is to increase formalisation and professionalisation of young miners to create more formal jobs and business opportunities in the mining value chain for the youths.
We have been meeting quite a number of established mining entrepreneurs in and around the county who are also interested in partnering with us in a programme.
Youths in mining should be able to own mining enterprises that they can then grow from small scale to medium scale,” said Mr Kupfuwa.
He said they were also preparing for a Young Miners Indaba slotted for 28 July in Kwekwe targeting to educate young miners on the importance of formalisation, professionalisation and responsible mining. Running under the theme: “Young miners for Innovation Towards a Sustainable Mining Economy,” Mr Kupfuwa said innovation was key to boost production.
“We were challenged by President Mnangagwa at the Miners Forum for Economic Development (Miners4ED) conference recently held in Gweru that we need to be innovative to ensure that we have cost effective and efficient mining methods as well as equipment and consumables.
He challenged us as miners to come up with innovative ways and use latest equipment that will make mining easier and boost efficiency gains. At the Indaba invited key stakeholders will tackle a number of mining-related solutions that can see young miners utilising the latest technologies and innovations to formalise their operations.”
He said as they rewrite and redefine the small-scale mining narrative, the mining sector growth was also underpinned on young people creating employment for graduates coming from universities and key mining-related institutions such as the Zimbabwe School of Mines (ZSM).
Mr Kupfuwa said the Indaba will serve as a platform to enlighten youth in mining on the importance of formalised mining enterprises to reduce mine accidents and reduce environmental degradation.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe boasts a highly diversified mineral resource base, featuring close to 40 exploitable minerals that include platinum group metals (PGMs), chromium, gold, coal, diamonds, lithium, manganese, iron ore, copper, nickel, cobalt, and rare earth metals among others.
Speaking at the Zimbabwe Ministerial Dinner in Johannesburg, South Africa last Wednesday, the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Monica Mutsvangwa said the administration’s thrust to inclusive development was anchored on making Zimbabwe an optimal destination for capital.
“Turning to mining, our President has an adage; in Zimbabwe the question to ask is which minerals we don’t have, because we carry a bonanza of all the useful minerals. Zimbabwe is a global class mining player.
It is number two in platinum group metals after South Africa. It is top three in ferrochrome reserves. It is number four global diamond producer. It is in the top five hard rock lithium reserves. It is rapidly climbing into the top 10 gold producers.”
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