Ministers tour Eureka Mine Minister Chitando

Cletus Mushanawani Mash Central Bureau Chief
DELTA Gold’s Eureka Mine in Guruve is on track to achieve its production target of two tonnes of gold by 2021, Mines and Mining Development Minister Winston Chitando has said. He said this during a tour of Eureka Gold Mine yesterday.

Minister Chitando was leading a high-powered delegation that included Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa, Energy and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi and secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Mr Nick Mangwana.

He expressed satisfaction over the progress made so far by the mine, which was re-commissioned by President Mnangagwa last year.

“We have a target of hitting the 100-tonne gold production by 2023. This will contribute to the attainment of an (Upper) middle income class economy by 2030,” said Minister Chitando.

“Eureka Mine which was re-commissioned by President Mnangagwa last year, has a target of producing two tonnes of gold by 2021.

“We have come here to see the progress made so far since last year. The mine is way on track to achieving its production target in 2021. We expect them to have increased their production by 2023.”

Since the mine’s re-commissioning, it is now employing 105 people, 54 of whom are from Guruve.

While progress has been made to ensure proper mining, the mine is grappling with power supply challenges as well as invasions by artisanal miners.

The company, which needs to pump water from its mining shafts is at times getting 15 hours of power supplies, thereby hampering progress.

Delta Gold’s biggest shareholder, Dalliglio, said besides being saddled by operational challenges, they were on course to meeting production targets.

Said Dalliglio CEO Mr Michael Fowler; “We are confident that by 2021 we will be producing up to 200kg of gold a month. This will be achieved during the first quarter of 2021.

“Power supplies have been our major challenge as we need to decommission the water in our mining shaft. Once this has been resolved, nothing will stop us from achieving our targets.

“Besides power cuts, we have a problem of artisanal miners flocking this area. We had to beef up our security as a times they will be more than a 100 of them. Police are also helping us by arresting the artisanal miners, but they always come back.”

Minister Chasi said they understand the economic value of mining and would work tirelessly to ensure power supplies were improved at the mine.

“I was told that they are getting limited power supplies and we will be discussing with the relevant stakeholders to ensure that this challenge is addressed.

“Our top priority is to ensure that power is availed to the production sector. For our economy to grow, production should be scaled up and the duty is upon us in the energy sector to provide that power.”

He said Government was working on thermal power stations at Hwange to ensure sufficient power supplies.

Officer Commanding Guruve District, Chief Superintendent Robert Torevasei, vowed to keep artisanal miners at bay.

“We have been receiving reports of artisanal miners disrupting operations here and we always deploy our officers to assist the mine’s security in dealing with them.

“A number of them have been arrested so far. They usually target the mine’s dumpsite and we are always ready to assist the mine security when we are called upon to do so,” said Chief Supt Torevasei.

The delegation later toured the Metallon Gold’s Jumbo Mine in Mazowe where gold panning is rife. Many lives have been lost since the mine stopped operations.

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