Judith Phiri, Business Reporter
THE Ministry of Mines and Mining Development is rolling out a training programme for small-scale miners in the country that is aimed at improving their skills, promote safety, increase production and formalize their operations.
The training programme is starting tomorrow and will cover different district in the country.
Artisanal and small-scale miners contribute about 60 percent of the country’s gold output, as gold is one of Zimbabwe’s largest foreign currency earners. In a statement, the ministry said training and awareness programme will be rolled out over a course of five days in different districts in the provinces.
“In Matabeleland South, the programme will run from tomorrow up to Friday in Filabusi, Esigodini, Matopo, Maphisa, Umzingwane, Shangani, Mangwe and Gwanda. Running on the same days are districts in Mashonaland West such as Mhangura, Chegutu, Chikuti and Kadoma,” read part of the statement.
The statement read that from 12 to 16 February the programme would be carried out in Masvingo’s Gutu, Mashava, Stop Over and Ngundu as well as in Mashonaland Central’s Guruve, Mt Darwin, Shamva, Mazowe, Chiweshe and Christon Bank.
Cde Soda Zhemu
The ministry said in the Midlands Province the programme will be rolled out in Shurugwi, Mberengwa, Kwekwe, Zvishavane, Silobela, Zhombe and Gokwe from 19 to 23 February. On the same dates, in Mashonaland East Province the programme will be held in Makaha, Kotwa, UMP, Goromonzi and Mutoko.
“To wrap up the programme from 26 February to 01 March it will be rolled out in Matabeleland North Province in Inyathi and Bubi as well as in Manicaland Province in Chimanimani, Nyanga, Penhalonga, Odzi, Buhera and Headlands,” it further read.
On the course content for training and awareness programme, the ministry said these would include legal compliance covering title acquisition, appointment of competent persons, statutory fees and their purposes, explosive permits and licences, Statutory Instrument (SI) 109 OF 1990/ SI 72 OF 1989 as well as the Mines and Minerals Act.
“The safe mining course will look at what is safe mining, dangers of mining in old mining shafts, dangers of pillar robbing, dangers of mining in riverbanks or riverbeds, personal protective equipment (PPE) and its use, safe equipment in mining.
Among them being also protection of old and current workings, handling of explosives and storage, mining methods as well as occupational safety and health,” it read.
Another key course, the ministry said would be environmentally friendly mining which would look at cyanide and mercury use and storage, environmental degradation and environmental rehabilitation during and after mining.
It said other topics would be environmental impact assessment (EIA) and environmental management plan (EMP), river conservation, mining methods and planning, mine planning, use of professionals, avoidance of resource dilution and effects of resource dilution.
“The course on mining industry loan fund (MILF) will cover aspects that include what is MILF, who is eligible, how do you apply, advantages of applying and using MILF, benefits involved in MILF such as free advice as well as the US$5 million gold facility.”
The Minister of Mines and Mining Development, Cde Soda Zhemu is on record calling on artisanal and small-scale miners to formalise their operations to enhance their governance, as they account for more than half the country’s gold production.
