Published by the government of Zimbabwe
10 June 2002
THE small-scale mining sector can contribute significantly to the economy if the right policies that unlock the potential trapped in the sector are put in place.
Commercial mining, whether small or large scale, involves high initial capital outlay.
The uncertainty in the industry calls for policies that encourage investors to pour in money into the sector.
Such policies include supporting small-scale miners in the mining, processing and marketing of the mineral.
This is one way through which the industry that is dominated by some multi-nationals can be democratised.
The Government has already realised the potential in the mining sector and has made it clear that it would make steps towards the indigenisation of the mining industry.
Mining in this country has been characterised by the extraction of mineral ore that is usually exported before it has been processed.
This continued export of the mineral ore without further benefication has often robbed the country of direct income from exports and employment creation.
A policy document released by the Research Council of Zimbabwe last week emphasised the need to exploit mining resources in the country in an environmentally friendly manner.
"There is need to develop effective and efficient panning technologies which do not degrade the environment.
"This can be realised if there is an improvement in technology used and improving the conventional methods used in mineral processing and developing novel extractive methods," the RCZ said.
The Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe this week began a series of seminars to impart information to small-scale miners on issues related to their business operation.
Small-scale miners provide around 20 percent of the country's total mineral output. There are formal small-scale miners and informal ones.
Acting general manager of MMCZ, Ms Simangaliso Makoni, said the seminars were meant to help the small-scale miners in value addition and benefication of minerals marketing and exportation.
Most of the small-scale miners face problems because they do not have proper marketing strategies and they often fall prey to some unscrupulous middlemen who pay little for the minerals.
Small-scale miners can play a crucial role in the national economy because they would re-invest their profits in the country compared to multi-nationals that usual direct the investments to their countries of origin.
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