ZIMBABWE is pressing ahead with plans to establish a transparent digital register of all mining claims across the country as part of efforts to strengthen governance and attract fresh investment into the mining sector.
Mines and Mining Development Minister Polite Kambamura on Tuesday briefed Cabinet on progress made towards implementing the Zimbabwe Mining Cadastre Registration System, an electronic platform designed to manage mining titles, rights and concessions.
The system replaces the traditional paper-based registration process, which has long been criticised for contributing to overlapping mining claims, administrative backlogs and disputes over ownership.
"The Mining Cadastral Management Information System will improve competitiveness in the mining industry in order to attract increased investment through strengthened governance in the administration of mining rights," said Kambamura.
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The Ministry of Mines and Mining Development currently maintains a repository of more than 60,000 mining licences, including Blocks of Claims, Special Grants, Mining Leases, Exclusive Prospecting Orders and mining sites, among other permits.
Once fully operational, the computerised platform is expected to streamline the administration of mining titles, reduce processing delays and eliminate technical challenges associated with overlapping claims.
Zimbabwe's mining sector has for years grappled with weaknesses in the registration system, including disputes arising from duplicate allocations, inaccurate claim boundaries and cumbersome manual processes.
The historic reliance on paper records and handheld GPS devices has often resulted in imprecise demarcation of mining claims, particularly in lucrative gold-mining areas, fuelling ownership disputes, litigation and revenue losses.
Government believes the new digital cadastre will improve transparency, modernise the allocation of mining rights and enhance investor confidence in one of Zimbabwe's key economic sectors.
