Artisanal miners ready to embrace green mining

SMALL-SCALE gold miners are ready to embrace new sustainable green mining innovations to replace the hazardous mercury or cyanide chemicals used in the extraction of gold, an official has said.

Zimbabwe Gold Miners’ Association secretary for Information Communication Technology and Innovation, Mr Augustine Makoni said the new political dispensation had triggered a lot of interest from the international community to introduce green mining projects in the country.

“As small-scale gold miners we are ready to work with investors who are willing to introduce new innovations in the extractive industry by replacing hazardous substances like mercury and cyanide. As we speak we have enquiries from international investors who are eyeing green projects in the country, and as an association we believe it’s high time we embrace new technology in the gold purification process. Consultations are underway with an international company to introduce green gold mining initiative,” he said.

Mr Makoni said international trends require that miners embrace sustainable mining methods that reduce harm to the environment while maintaining efficiency in business.

“Once introduced, the initiative will ensure 100 percent reclamation of land after extraction. Small-scale gold miners are currently playing hide and seek with the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) because they are not able to decommission their sites after operations leaving deep open pits that have now become death traps for human and animals,” he said.

Mr Makoni said the highly hazardous chemicals used in the purification of gold are costly considering the levies and fees paid by miners to EMA to be allowed to transport and handle them.

Without giving figures, he said the Midlands Province had recorded the highest cases of cyanide or mercury contamination in water bodies.