HARARE — Zimbabwe is stepping up efforts to promote responsible gold mining practices, with the planetGOLD Zimbabwe project set to introduce mercury-free gold processing technologies in eight districts to improve gold recovery and reduce the health and environmental risks associated with mercury use in artisanal and small-scale mining.
Speaking at a press briefing in Harare on Friday ahead of the planetGOLD Zimbabwe Annual Stakeholders Conference scheduled for 28 and 29 October in Harare, the project's Artisanal and Small Scale Gold Mining Technical Specialist, Mollin Siwella, said laboratory tests are currently underway to determine the most suitable technologies for different types of gold ore found in the country.
She said ore samples were collected from potential demonstration sites, with the results expected to guide equipment procurement and installation.
Affordability and practicality
Siwella said the main challenge right now is that the technologies are not currently available, noting that miners acknowledge mercury is harmful but need to know what to use in its place.
She said affordability and practicality would be central to the selection of equipment, as miners need alternatives that can be adopted without the high costs associated with machinery designed for large-scale operations.
She said the technology needs to be affordable so that miners can easily adapt, noting that mercury is currently simple to use and affordable in their context.
Remote areas and local manufacturing
Siwella said the equipment would also cater for miners operating in remote areas without access to the national electricity grid, while the project is planned to support local fabricators to manufacture the machinery.
She also said awareness campaigns have been conducted to educate miners about the dangers of mercury, but the limited availability of suitable alternatives remains a major obstacle to changing established practices.
The project also plans to establish a mining academy to equip miners with skills in gold processing, environmental management, and occupational health and safety.
Project targets
The five-year initiative, supported by the Global Environment Facility, led by the United Nations Environment Programme, and implemented by IMPACT in partnership with the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development and the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife, aims to reduce mercury use by 4.85 tonnes.
It also seeks to support more than 7,500 men and women across 11 project districts and improve the management of approximately 76,000 hectares of land.
Stakeholders conference
Meanwhile, the annual stakeholders conference, running under the theme "Unlocking Responsible Gold in Zimbabwe: Transforming Formalisation, Financing and Technology for a Mercury-Free ASGM Sector," will bring together Government institutions, miners, financial institutions, development partners, civil society organisations, and technical experts.
The conference will also feature the launch of a guide on formalisation to inform discussions on barriers preventing artisanal and small-scale miners from operating formally.
Delegates are expected to explore ways of improving access to finance, promoting safer processing methods, and strengthening sustainable mining and landscape management.
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