Minister of Mines and Mining Development Winston Chitando has called for an urgent formalisation of the artisanal mining sector to curb the accidents that are happening.
Addressing delegates at the ongoing Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe Annual conference in Victoria Falls, Chitando said there is a need to redefine the gold mining sector to achieve 100 tonnes by 2023.
Speaking at the same conference, Chamber of Mines President Batsirai Manhando said gold mining is the largest sector contributing 40% of minerals in Zimbabwe,18 % of revenue going to the government and it employs more than 12 000 people in large companies and 500 000 artisanal miners.
In an interview with Minex Managing Consultant Emily Hwengwere also called on the government and all other stakeholders to properly regularise small scale mining so that they can be able to address health and safety issues effectively.
“For us at Minex whilst we appreciate the economic benefits of small scale mining, we are particularly concerned about some of the negative impacts artisanal and small scale mining particularly the health and safety issues.
“We are talking about right now the deaths at Jumbo mine for us that is really a cause for concern.
“The unfortunate thing is that so much is this is happening but it is going unnoticed and unrecorded.
“So for us, we are calling on the government and all other stakeholders concerned to properly regularise small scale mining so that we can be able to address health and safety issues effectively,” she said.
