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The government orders the suspension of all small-scale mining operations until the end of the rainy season, this publication has learnt.
The Minister of Mines and Mining Development Soda Zhemu issues the suspension which he said was due to rains being received across the country.
In a statement, Soda expressed fear that continued mining operations in the middle of the rainy season was risking loss of lives and equipment.
His decision comes barely a week after 15 miners were trapped at Redwing Mine in Manicaland after one of its shafts collapsed. All the 15 were found alive.
“The Ministry of Mines and Mining Development would like to advise all miners, large scale, medium scale, and small scale in particular artisanal miners across the country that the onset of the rainy season brings with it grave dangers and risks that are a threat to lives and potential loss of equipment and damage to mines,” said Soda.
“During the rainy season we experience heightened risks in the form of flooding, drowning, weakened ground leading to fall and ground subsidence as well as slime dam breaches which unfortunately lead to loss of lives. As a precaution, small-scale artisanal miners are advised to completely stop mining altogether and resume when the rains stop”, he said.
Zimbabwe has been receiving above-average rains in most parts of the country.
He said, “It should be noted that the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development Inspectors shall be out in full force to ensure that there is compliance with all governance requirements failure of which punishment will be imposed.”
With artisanal and small-scale miners contributing the largest proportion of Zimbabwe’s gold deliveries, monthly deposits are expected to be heavily affected by the suspension
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