ZMF rolls out mining equipment

13 Dec, 2015 - 04:12 0 Views
ZMF rolls out  mining equipment ZMF chief executive officer Mr Wellington Takavarasha

The Sunday News

THE Zimbabwe Federation of Miners (ZMF) has started distributing mining equipment it acquired through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a Bulawayo-based engineering firm, Yagden in a bid to improve small-scale miners’ productivity.
ZMF chief executive officer Mr Wellington Takavashara said the distribution of crushing, milling and processing equipment, expected to assist small-scale miners to recover almost 100 percent of gold from its ore instead of the initial 39 percent, was distributed in Silobela, Midlands Province last week.

The MoU between the small-scale miners representative body and Yagden Engineering was signed in October and entails the company to provide mining equipment at hire purchase to individuals that exhibit capability to pay within a period of four months.

The equipment is delivered to the miners at 10 percent deposit based on merit basis.
“The machines will help miners to mill about two tonnes per hour thus saving time and increasing production. This crushing, milling and processing equipment also entails that miners recover almost all of their gold unlike initially when miners only recovered 39 percent with the rest being processed by the mill owner(s),” Mr Takavarasha said.

He said the deal would cover about 50 ill-equipped small-scale miners in all the country’s mining districts with potential to increase production through an identified and selection process conducted by the small-scale miners body.

“As an organisation representing the interests of small-scale miners we want to ensure that processing and production is enhanced. Reports from Peace Mine in Silobela where crushing began this whole week (last week) has been positive,” Mr Takavarasha said.

One small-scale miners, Mr Erasmus Chari said the equipment would also improve on efficiency as small-scale miners spend most of their time queuing to mill their ore at individual owned custom mills.

“As small-scale miners we will also get a chance to venture into other activities which facilitate further gold recovery through retained sands. We would like to commend the ZMF to keep up the good work and hope this programme will reach all the 10 provinces in the country,” he said.

Meanwhile, ZMF has also facilitated for the supply of compressors and generators with various companies on hire purchase scheme to further enhance production.

Mr Takavarasha said it was imperative to increase gold production through capacitating small-scale miners with the requisite equipment and skills.

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