Staff Reporter

The Ministry of Mines and Mining Development has tasked the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC) to spearhead the capacitation of small scale gold miners.

A source within the Ministry said that ZMDC was mandated last year in November to superintend over a US$10 million facility which will finance small scale mining activities in the country.

"The ZMDC was given the mandate last year in November by the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development to superintend over a US$10 million facility to finance small scale mining activities", said the source.

According to the source, part of the funds would be set aside to establish and develop five gold service centres. These centres will be in Makaha Mashonaland East, Bubi in Matebeleland North, Penhalonga in Manicaland, Mazowe in Mashonaland Central, and Silobela in Midlands.

“US$5 million would be used to develop 2 660 hectares of mining claims in Makaha in Mashonaland East Province. After the development of gold claims in Makaha, other gold centres across the country would also be developed,” said the source.

The source added that the capacitation project would also involve the installation of a Carbon-in-Pulp (CIP) plant centre and equipping small scale mines with mining equipment and accessories such as hoist and electricity transformers as well as offering capacity building programmes on mining.

Meanwhile, the idea of capacitating small scale gold miners comes against the backdrop that they account for the bulk of gold produced in the country, hence their capacitation is aimed at increasing gold production by small scale miners in the country.