Zimbabwe launches planetGOLD Zimbabwe project
The government of Zimbabwe has launched the planetGOLD Zimbabwe project, a five-year initiative set to reform its artisanal gold mining sector.
Backed by $23.7 million USD from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), this project aims to reduce the use of mercury, a highly toxic chemical employed by 96% of artisanal gold mining operations in Zimbabwe.
PlanetGOLD Zimbabwe project
Mercury exposure poses severe health risks and causes widespread environmental pollution, affecting air, water, and soil, and bioaccumulating in the food chain. The project targets a 4.85-tonne reduction in mercury use across artisanal gold mining sites. It emphasizes the adoption of mercury-free gold extraction technologies. The project aligns with Zimbabwe’s National Action Plan under the Minamata Convention on Mercury, which the country ratified in 2021.
The planetGOLD Zimbabwe project plans to support 7,500 men and women at 11 districts in Zimbabwe. The project will promotes the formalization of the artisanal gold mining sector. It will increase miners’ access to finance, enabling the transition to safer technologies. It will also support the development of responsible and traceable gold supply chains.
The project will be executed by IMPACT, an international non-profit, with close cooperation from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Zimbabwean government. Mr. Edward Samuriwo, Acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Climate, and Wildlife, underscored the project’s importance in eliminating mercury use and improving health and safety for mining communities. He reiterated Zimbabwe’s commitment to the Minamata Convention and called for collaboration among stakeholders to achieve the project’s goals.
IMPACT’s Deputy Executive Director, Yann Lebrat, hailed the initiative as a transformative step towards sustainable and responsible artisanal gold mining in Zimbabwe. By reducing mercury use and addressing systemic challenges in the sector, the project seeks to protect communities, the environment, and foster economic opportunities through a cleaner, safer mining industry.
