Zimbabwe’s drive to turn its mineral wealth into an engine of industrial growth has taken a decisive step in the gold-rich hills of Filabusi, where Kavango Resources has committed more than US$20 million to revive large-scale production, formalise small-scale mining and position itself to capitalise on record global gold prices.
The London- and Victoria Falls Stock Exchange–listed mining group says it is accelerating development in the historic Filabusi gold belt, a region long known for its rich deposits but underdeveloped for decades. Modern processing equipment is now on site, and the company expects to begin producing gold by the end of the first quarter of 2026, just as bullion prices hover near historic highs.
The investment aligns closely with the government’s National Development Strategy, which seeks to move Zimbabwe beyond raw mineral extraction toward value addition, industrialisation and sustained economic growth. Mining has long underpinned the country’s economy, but authorities have increasingly pushed for projects that generate skills, jobs and downstream activity.
Kavango Holding Zimbabwe chairperson Thamsanqa Mpofu said the company’s timing could not be more strategic, noting that the installation of a modern processing plant would allow the mine to fully benefit from favourable global prices. He described the coming months as a critical window, both for the company and for the broader mining sector, as Zimbabwe seeks to translate commodity booms into lasting domestic gains.
Beyond large-scale investment, Kavango has also embarked on an ambitious effort to bring informal miners into the formal economy. The company has moved to incorporate 42 small-scale miners into its operations, offering training, safer working practices and a more predictable route to market. For many in Filabusi, where artisanal mining has long been both a livelihood and a risk, the move represents a rare chance at stability.
Local miners involved in the programme said the initiative had already begun to change daily realities on the ground, improving safety while creating steady employment. Traditional leaders who toured the mine this week echoed that sentiment, praising the company’s emphasis on skills transfer and community inclusion.
Chief Sebasa, one of the local leaders who visited the site, stressed that training local people was essential not only for economic development but also for modern, safer mining operations—an issue that has plagued Zimbabwe’s gold sector for years.
The Filabusi project also highlights the strategic importance of Matabeleland South in Zimbabwe’s mining landscape. The province is estimated to contribute about 40 percent of the gold delivered annually to Fidelity Gold Refinery, the country’s sole official buyer and exporter. That makes any sustained investment in the region particularly significant for national output and foreign currency earnings.
As Zimbabwe transitions into the second phase of its national development strategy, projects like Kavango’s are being closely watched as test cases: can foreign-listed miners balance profitability with local development, and can the state convert mineral wealth into broader economic resilience?
For now, the heavy machinery arriving in Filabusi signals renewed optimism. If production begins on schedule, the mine could become both a beneficiary of the global gold rally and a bellwether for Zimbabwe’s ambitions to reshape its mining sector—one ounce, and one community, at a time.
