Online Reporter
Nqobile Bhebhe in Harare
Zimbabwe is moving faster than most African countries in phasing out the use of mercury in gold mining by artisanal and small-scale miners, a senior government official has said.
In 2013, Zimbabwe became a signatory to the Minamata Convention on Mercury, a global treaty aimed at reducing and eventually eliminating mercury use. The country formally became a party to the Convention on 19 August 2021.
Speaking at the ongoing planetGOLD Zimbabwe Annual Stakeholders Conference 2025, which runs under the theme “Building Together for a Sustainable ASGM Sector,” Chief Engineer in the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development said Zimbabwe was well on course to meet its targets.
“We are also trying to eliminate the use of mercury. But I think we are moving very, very, very fast as a country.
“We are moving faster than most of the other countries.
“Regarding the reduction in the use of mercury, our target is 4.8 tonnes, and I think we can surpass that. We are moving in that direction.”
Currently, about 96 percent of artisanal gold production in Zimbabwe is still associated with mercury use, but authorities say ongoing interventions and support programmes are expected to significantly reduce dependence on the toxic substance.
Mercury contaminates the soil, water, air, and the equipment that it is used on. It is highly toxic to miners and others who come into direct contact with it.
