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Wilson Dakwa, Business Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) has embarked on a syndication programme aimed at encouraging artisanal miners to formalise their operations and form clusters so as to access the $150 million gold support facility.
In a telephone interview last week, ZMF chief executive officer Mr Wellington Takavarasha said the outreach programme was being conducted in conjunction with the Fidelity Printers and Refiners.
“We are currently conducting a syndication programme and our objective is to capture data on how many artisanal miners are in the country, their geographic locations and inspect their resources. In the process, we also encourage the miners to register themselves with us and also formalise their operations for them to be able to benefit from the gold support facility,” said Mr Takavarasha.
ZMF is the brainchild of the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development and is meant to represent and contribute to the development and growth of small scale miners. Last year, small-scale miners contributed 53 percent of the 24,8 tonnes of gold that was delivered to RBZ’s gold buying unit, Fidelity Printers and Refiners.
ZMF’s syndication programme complements President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s calls for artisanal miners to form clusters for them to be able to access machinery assistance from the Government. Speaking while addressing thousands of Zanu-PF supporters in Madziwa last month, President Mnangagwa said clusters will promote environmental preservation.
“We have an arrangement with Brazil and Belarus which will result in us getting machinery which will enable us to support small-scale miners.
Forming clusters will promote environmental preservation and maintain order. We cannot have holes haphazardly.
“We want people to be organised into clusters and then approach the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development for assistance. This makes it easier for Government to offer equipment to the miners on a hire and purchase scheme if they are clusters,” said President Mnangagwa.
Mr Takavarasha said encouraging artisanal miners to register with ZMF will also help minimize gold leakages.
“In the past, Zimbabwe has lost millions due to leakages and if the leakages are not adequately addressed, we will continue losing millions. If artisanal miners formalise themselves then there will be no reason for them to sell their gold on the black market. The Government also needs to resuscitate gold buying permits with affordable terms. Although the cancellation of private permits was meant to ensure that all small-scale miners sell their output through Fidelity, private buyers will complement Fidelity,” he said.
Meanwhile, a mining report presented at Zimbabwe Mining Investment Conference last week shows that Zimbabwe’s 800 mines have the capacity to earn $18 billion per annum although they have been only turning out about $2 billion annually since 2009.
This represents about a tenth of the sector’s full potential and translates to an incredible opportunity for investors, and the Government is fully committed to creating an enabling environment for investors.
derick.khumalo