By Simbarashe Muparaganda
Bulawayo (New Ziana)-The  mining industry in Zimbabwe is expecting a 50 percent surge in demand for electricity over the next 12 months as expansion projects gather momentum, the Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe (CoMZ) has said.
In an interview on the sidelines of the just ended 28th edition of the Mining, Engineering and Transport (Mine Entra) 2026, MoCZ president Francis Makoni underscored the need for reliable and competitively priced power to sustain the growth OF THE sector.
He said the mining sector was entering a new phase of growth driven by favourable mineral prices, ongoing investments and new mining projects.
“We are happy that the mining sector continues to be prioritised on the available power, with no power outages reported in the last six weeks. However, we are expecting a surge in power demand from the current 1 000 Megawatts to 1 500 Megawatts over the next 12 months due to expansion projects in the mining sector,” he said.
Makoni lamented that while the improved power supply had enabled uninterrupted mining operations, electricity tariffs remained a major concern.
“The cost of power remains high in Zimbabwe compared to other countries in the region, and we will continue engaging the power utility to ensure electricity becomes more competitive,” he said.
He said the CoMZ was also encouraging mining companies to invest in alternative energy sources to supplement grid electricity and improve energy security.
“Through various initiatives, major mining companies are prepared to invest in new power generation projects to support the country’s electricity needs,” he said.
Makoni said the positive outlook for the mining industry was underpinned by strong international mineral prices, which had encouraged companies to expand existing operations while new projects were coming on stream.
“A significant number of mining houses have embarked on expansion projects while several new mining projects have also been launched,” he added.
He said the industry was expected to record about 10 percent growth this year, supported by increased production across most mineral subsectors.
Makoni said the CoMZ remained fully aligned with the government strategy of maximising value from the country’s mineral resources through beneficiation and value addition.
“The mining industry fully subscribes to government’s thrust of maximising the contribution of the sector to the economy through value addition and beneficiation, “he said.
Makoni noted that the platinum group metals (PGMs) sector had made significant progress after investing in local smelting capacity and can process all locally produced concentrates, adding that the rapidly expanding lithium sector was also making strides in mineral beneficiation.
“Most lithium projects are now at various stages of producing lithium sulphate, with one major producer already exporting lithium sulphate, demonstrating progress towards value addition,” he said.
He said all major mineral sub-sectors are projected to record strong production growth this year, with gold output expected to increase by more than 12 percent, platinum group metals by 21 percent, diamonds by 29 percent, chrome by 64 percent, and coal by 29 percent.
“These projections reflect the resilience and positive trajectory of Zimbabwe’s mining industry. The sector continues to demonstrate strong growth prospects, giving us confidence in its future and its contribution to the national economy, he said.
Makoni said the sector would require substantial capital investment to unlock its full potential, noting it requires in excess of US$10 billion over the next five years to finance expansion projects with the potential to double mining export earnings.
He commended the government and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) for maintaining a foreign currency retention framework that had supported mining operations.
“We would like to commend the treasury and government for the current foreign currency arrangements, which have remained adequate and important for financing mining companies,” he said.
New Ziana
