Redwing Mine in Zimbabwe collapses
The Redwing Mine in Zimbabwe experienced a collapse that left eleven subsistence miners trapped underground. Zimbabwe’s mines ministry, confirmed the report and said the ground collapse is believed to have been triggered by earth tremors.
Mining operations at Redwing have been undertaken by subsistence miners carrying out unsanctioned work since the mine was placed under corporate rescue in 2020, the company said. Metallon Corporation, the owner of Redwing Mine, mobilized a dedicated rescue team to bring the trapped miners to the surface. However, the rescue efforts have been hampered by unstable ground conditions, making it unsafe for the rescue teams to proceed further.
Metallon Corporation emphasized the importance of ensuring the safety of the rescue teams before continuing with the operation. Despite several attempts, the ground remains unstable, and the company is diligently assessing the conditions to proceed with rescue operations safely as soon as possible.
Mining accidents in Zimbabwe
Artisanal and small-scale gold mining In Zimbabwe, ASGM is one of the informal sectors with a key economic role as it serves as a fundamental livelihood source ASGM varies in its formality and legality, operating through basic, manual, or primitive methods, and is usually associated with little or no attention to health and safety. In 2019 alone, Zimbabwe had an estimated 4124 occupational injuries with a national occupational injury rate of 4.8 per 1000 and 6.7 per 1000 for large-scale mining (LSM), which was based on claims made to the National Social Security Authority (NSSA).
