Small-scale miners urged to learn from big companies
SMALL-SCALE gold miners have been urged to tap into the experience of big companies to boost production.
Speaking at a Provincial Alternative Mining Indaba at a Mutare hotel recently, Redwing Mine’s human resources manager, Dr Ushe Madume, said small-scale gold miners have potential to create employment if they up their game and work with big players in the industry.
Dr Madume who is also the Institute of Personal Management of Zimbabwe president, said big players like Redwing Mine were willing to share their expertise with small-scale miners for them to grow their businesses.
Speaking at the same occasion, Mrs Matika from Women in Mining, said small miners were grappling with a number of challenges that needed urgent address.
“We are facing a number of challenges which need to be looked into by the responsible authorities. We lack adequate health care and our miners are dying daily from diseases like Tuberculosis contracted underground. We lack funds to avail proper health care to our miners,” she said.
She also expressed concern on pollution of the environment being caused by both small-scale miners and big players in the industry.
To date, hundreds of former Redwing Mine claims have been released to artisanal and smallscale miners in Penhalonga in a move which has opened countless opportunities for marginalised groups, especially women and youths.
In a speech read on behalf of Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs, Cde Mandi Chimene by the deputy director in her office, Mr Lucky Bhasopo, she said the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (Pvt) Limited had expressed willingness to expand diamond explo- ration in areas like Penhalonga and Chimanimani.
The minister said efforts were being made to optimise revenue from diamond mining in Manicaland.
“Government is concerned with the continued exportation of the country’s minerals in their raw form. There is need to promote value addition and beneficiation of the minerals,” she said.
The indaba was hosted by Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association in partnership with Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development.