School of Mines to train artisanal miners

THE Zimbabwe School of Mines (ZSM) is setting up a training college for small-scale and artisanal miners at Musipani Business Centre in Zvishavane to increase their capacity as part of efforts to enhance the sector’s production efficiency and contribution to the economy.

Runde Rural District Council chief executive Mr Gorden Moyo said his council has already allocated 20 hectares of land to ZSM for the project.

“We have the Zimbabwe School of Mines, which wants to come and put up a training school for small-scale and artisanal miners.

“As council we have given them 20 hectares of land so that they could kickstart construction of the project,” he said.

Mr Moyo said the incubation hub as well as research centre for platinum group of metals will also be set up at the site.

“They have also indicated to us that they also want to set up an incubation hub for the manufacture of smallscale mining equipment. They also want to put up a research centre for the platinum group of metals at that centre.

“Work is already underway as their technical people are already on the ground and we hope that project comes to fruition,” he said.

ZSM has in the past come up with an outreach programme aimed at imparting artisanal and small-scale miners with the requisite skills to enhance their mining expertise in a bid to improve mineral handling and production.

In 2013 ZSM introduced training modules outside its formal training technologies comprising various fundamentals of mining specifically tailor-made for artisanal and small-scale miners which included geological surveying, mineral processing and administrative courses.

The institute has also introduced advanced fundamentals of a mining course, which hinges on imparting skills on how to mine in areas with unstable ground, hard rock and high levels of underground water.

It has also developed modules specifically designed to suit women in mining and runs a mineral resource course for non-mining trained professionals.