Small Scale Miners Prog

Small Scale Miners Programme

Small Scale Miners Capacitation

ZMDC Mandate:

The Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC) was established in 1982 by an Act of parliament ZMDC Act [Chapter 21:08], with part of its mandate being:

• To render assistance to persons engaged in and about to engage in mining

• To encourage and undertake the formation of mining cooperatives

Background

Small scale gold producers are facing the twin problem of undercapitalisation in their operations and the general lack of processing facilities of their products. This pushes players in the industry to deal with available processing facilities which are often located far away from producers and prejudice producers in numerous ways.

ZMDC Small Scale Capacitation Programme

ZMDC, in pursuit of its mandate has engaged in programmes aimed at capacitating Small Scale Miners and their operations. The idea behind the capacitation is to improve production, improve miners' safety as well as encourage environmentally sustainable mining and mining methods.

The expected derivatives of this arrangement are among others:-
a. Capacitation of small scale miners through equipment and technical services
b. Increase in gold production
c. Employment of proper mining methods
d. Environmentally friendly mining practices
e. Improvement of safety in mining for small scale producers
f. Secure and easy disposal of gold by producers on-site
g. Channel all the gold production into the formal sector

Scope of Capacitation

Small Scale Miners are being assisted in the following areas to improve their operations:-

Equipment

ZMDC is supplying jackhammers, compressors, generators and hoist equipment as part of capacitation of small scale miners in the provinces.

Mining Services

ZMDC is assisting small scale miners with Safety, Health, Envinronment Risk and Quality (SHERQ) services as well as geological and processing services under its technical services capacitation to small scale miners.