By Business Reporter – 14 February 2019
HARARE (Mining Index) – ZIMBABWE Miners Federation (ZMF) has joined rescue and investigative teams at Battlefields mine accident that occurred yesterday near Kadoma to ascertain the cause of the collapse, in which the federation will comment after getting empirical evidence.
As of yesterday RioZim had joined hands with the Civil Protection Unit to drain water from the mine shafts.
In a statement, ZMF Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Wellington Takavarasha said the federation has sent an investigative team to join the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development Chief Government Mining Engineering Department to compile an incident report and other investigative relevant information.
“The Zimbabwe Miners Federation Executive and Management Board wishes to categorically state that a comment on the recent Battlement Incident Report involving artisanal and small scale- miners in Battlefields in Kadoma will be unveiled soon,” said Takavarasha.
The ZMF incident report will focus on causes of the accident, nature of the accident, date and time of the accident, names of the injured or deceased including their sex and ages, actual event location underground and risk taking.
38 artisanal miners were yesterday trapped following heavy flooding at a makeshift mine in Battlefields and Muzvezve area near Kadoma, Mashonaland West province.
34 artisanal miners were at Silver Moon Mine while the other four were at Cricket Mine in Muzvezve constituency.
Illegal gold miners have become rampant in Zimbabwe, with thousands of unemployed men, women and children turning to illegal gold panning in a bid to put food on the table.
12 artisanal miners were on 23 August 2018 around 2200hrs trapped underground following a shaft collapse at Eldorado Mine in Chinhoyi. ENDS//
