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Minister Fred Moyo

Africa Moyo Business Reporter
GOVERNMENT says it important for syndicate miners to follow the law in their quest for mining claims, particularly from mining firms that ceased operations some time ago. This comes as several artisanal miners and a youth organisations such as Youth Business League (YBL) – whose mandate is to help empower young entrepreneurs – are ramping up pressure on Government so that it releases claims to them. YBL is registered with the Zimbabwe Youth Council.

It is thought that allocating claims to small-scale miners – who have asserted their importance in gold deliveries – would see the country increasing production. This year’s annual gold production target is 27 tonnes and as at September 30, miners had delivered just over 17 tonnes. YBL secretary general McNorman Chitongo told The Herald Business last week that it has become critical for Government to ensure that youths get claims from all mines that are no longer operational, so that the country generates more foreign currency.

“As young miners, we applaud what Metallon Gold Zimbabwe and Asa Resource Plc did in allocating claims to small-scale miners in Manicaland, and Mashonaland Central and Midlands provinces. Our concern is on the closed mines. The owners don’t want to release claims to youths yet they don’t want to re-open the mines. Currently, there are some scale-miners who are illegally operating from these mines and the irony is that they are not selling the gold to Fidelity Printers and Refiners (FPR), but to illegal buyers to smuggle it out of the country,” said Mr Chitongo.

In September last year, Metallon Gold Zimbabwe allocated 288 gold claims at its Redwing Mine to small-scale miners in a bid to increase gold production. Some of the mines that youths think they can be allocated claims include Durban and Claydon in Matabeleland North; Athens Mine in Mvuma, Midlands province; Venice Mine in Kadoma, Mashonaland West province; Eureka in Mashonaland Central, and Arcturus in Mashonaland East. But Deputy Minister for Mines and Mining Development Engineer Fred Moyo told The Herald Business that while it was a noble idea to give claims to small-scale miners, it has to be done in accordance with the law.

“We want to do this in an orderly manner. So we want to address such issues. We want them to realise that there are certain mines that cannot be run on a co-operative basis or syndicate basis. We then have some that are small and as we go from province to province and district to district, we discuss those sort assets you are talking about so that we understand what they have done in the past, what state they are now and what needs be done going forward and we agree on how to go about it. How do you tribute a mine like Athens? It was quite a deep mine, very big and they would need almost $1 million month. So for now we want to focus on assets that they can manage successfully. “But we will be talking to them,” said Eng Moyo.

Small-scale miners have become central to gold deliveries, contributing 7,2 tonnes while primary producers weighed in with almost 7,5 tonnes.