The Minex conference and exhibition which was scheduled to be held on the 26th of March last year in Shamva but was postponed due to covid-19 is now slated for the 24th of June 2021.
Minex, working with the Shamva Miners Association, which is an affiliate of the Zimbabwe Miners Federation ZMF, is organising the exhibition to give the increasing number of small scale miners in Mashonaland Central a chance to meet suppliers, dialogue and network with a view to strengthening linkages for maximising output.
Minex was last held in Mashonaland Central in Bindura in 2017and there have been growing calls by miners in the province for another exhibition.
Shamva was chosen this time due to the high concentration of miners and its proximity to gold ore rich areas such as Mazowe and Bindura.
Mashonaland Central is endowed with rich gold deposits in Mazowe, Bindura, Guruve and Shamva among other districts.
The Great Dyke, a geological feature rich in several minerals including platinum, chrome and gold, also runs through the province.
Many small scale miners are exploiting the rich chrome deposits while thousands of artisanal miners eke out a living digging and panning for gold.
Minex Head Business Development Joseph Muramba encouraged small scale miners, suppliers, regulatory authorities and other stakeholders to participate at the event, crucial for creating enduring partnerships, selling mining equipment and services as well as disseminating vital information to miners.
“It’s a great opportunity for mining value chain players, regulators and stakeholders to meet. Minex will invite financiers, equipment suppliers, buyers, regulatory authorities and small scale miners to the event, creating dialoguing and sales opportunities.
“With challenges created by uncertain weather patterns in agriculture mining presents a solid source of income which anchors the attainment of the NDS1 targets and government’s vision 2030,” he said.
Minex is a physical and virtual platform for shopping, sharing and learning about the mining sector. It is renowned for its discussion sessions and dialogue which provides answers and the missing link for small scale miners seeking a foothold to establish themselves and grow their businesses in the extractive sector.
In 2019 Minex held expos in Gwanda and Mberengwa but plans to roll out the exhibition to other towns such as Zvishavane and Kadoma in 2020 were affected by covid-19.
The Minex Shamva will however adhere to covid-19 restrictions and protocols to ensure the safety of stakeholders.
“We are alive to the risk posed by covid-19 and we will ensure that approved protocols for controlling the spread of covid-19 will be strictly followed while maintaining social distance and using sanitisers.”, said Muramba.
