Small scale miners in Zimbabwe to increase gold production
Small scale and artisanal miners in Zimbabwe are targeting to increase production in the gold sector which accounts for most of the mining sector’s annual earnings.
The miners who account for an average of 60%, since 2017, of the total annual gold deliveries to Fidelity Printers and Refiners (FPR). Some gold buying agents have in the last two years, significantly increased deliveries to FPR. Leading gold agents Better Brands Jewellery (BBJ) delivered 1,1 tonnes of the precious metal to FPR in the past month alone.
BBJ, owned by Mr Scott Sakupwanya, said it is now targeting to sustain production and surpass the current levels for the country to benefit meaningfully from the precious mineral. Last month, FPR officials told Parliament that they were worried about the decreased gold deliveries citing a number of factors on the low productivity.
Decreased production
Mr Sakupwanya, who is also the chairman of the National Gold Buyers Association of Zimbabwe (NGBAZ), said he shared the same concerns with FPR on decreased production but pledged to ensure BBJ and association members boosted gold deliveries.
“In line with President Mnangagwa’s vision of a middle income economy by 2030, one of the biggest resources we have is gold and we need to do all we can to amass as much gold as we can.At BBJ, we are playing our part. It is not easy but it can be done,” said Sakupwanya.
Mr Sakupwanya noted one of the biggest challenges was to stop gold leakages, which had seen the country losing billions of dollars over the years to unscrupulous dealers.
“If leakages are stopped, gold will easily meet our country’s foreign currency requirements. We want to tell gold sector players that we can all achieve greater heights without resorting to smuggling. We urge all gold players to make sure they deliver gold formally as this will help improve our foreign currency situation and indeed our economy,” said Mr Sakupwanya.
Another challenges according to Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) chief executive Mr Wellington Takavarasha, only 16% of small or artisanal miners were formerly registered. This scenario meant the Government was not deriving optimum benefits from the illegal activities of small and artisanal miners, as most were not registered and had no identity.
