Harare, (New Ziana) – The Zimbabwe government on Friday reiterated that the policy on participation in the small-scale gold mining sector remains firmly centred on formalisation, safety, sustainability and citizen empowerment.
Addressing a press conference in Harare, the Minister of Mines and Mining Development Polite Kambamura said government policy towards artisanal and small-scale gold mining recognises the sector as a major contributor to economic development, employment creation, and national gold output.
“Government supports small-scale mining and values economic contributions from the subsector, but above all values people’s lives and prioritises safety and sustainability in all circumstances,” he said.
He further emphasised that the government does not plan to prohibit small-scale mining operations, but is instead committed to ensuring that miners work within safe, regulated and environmentally sustainable frameworks.
“Zimbabwe’s mining policy is aimed at promoting and expanding small-scale mining while strengthening systems for accountability, beneficiation, and local participation within the industry.
“We are advancing the formalisation of artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) through a national strategy intended to improve access to funding, technical knowledge and safer mining practices,” he said.
Kambamura added that the ASGM strategy is expected to help reduce illegal mining activities while improving environmental management and efficiency in gold production.
“The government has formulated an ASGM strategy that provides a framework of principles and policies that will guide the government in the formalisation of the ASGM sector,” he said.
The policy framework prioritises limiting participation in small-scale mining to locals, in line with the broader indigenisation and empowerment objectives within the extractive sector.
Zimbabwe’s small-scale miners continue to account for a significant share of national gold deliveries, with the subsector sustaining the livelihoods of more than a million people and contributing substantially to annual gold output.
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