By Business Reporter – Wednesday 14 August 2019
HARARE (Mining Index) – THE Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) in partnership with the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development is expected to co-host the inaugural ZMF Annual General Meeting (AGM) Conference and Exhibitions series pencilled from the 10th -11th of September 2019 at the Gweru Business Convention Centre.
The event will be running under the theme “Revolutionizing the ASM sector through Formalization.”
Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners (ASM) have in recent years been getting the limelight following increased gold output, surpassing that of primary producers.
In March this year, the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) also went into partnership with the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development where they held their first ASM Forum in Bulawayo, which was an offshoot event from the Mine Entra hosted last July.
The ASM sector produced 22 tonnes of gold, from the total 34 tonnes produced in 2018, constituting 65 percent of the overall gold deliveries as recorded at Fidelity Printers and Refiners (FPR).
The mining sector has bench-marked 40 tonnes of gold output by end of 2019 albeit various challenges hindering meeting the target.
“ZMF has designed several strategies to be instituted as measures aimed at ensuring the country attains the projected gold output. Part of the measures includes the resuscitation of The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Gold Service Centres, setting up of The Gold Mobilization and Gold Coordinating Committees between ZMF and FPR, increasing access to long term financing and mechanization of the ASM sector.”
“ZMF and FPR has designed ZMF/FPR identification card that should assist as part of the formalization exercise of which the artisanal miners can sell the gold they would have extracted at FPR mobile gold buying units and Centres, FPR gold buying agents and ZMF Gold Buying Centres. ZMF has also entered into partnerships with financiers/investors to boost ASM extractive and processing operations,” said ZMF Chief Executive Officer Wellington Takavarasha in an invitation circular.
Government has acknowledged that the ASM sector has for long been disenfranchised due to the stigmization of their operations hence the need to align them in the mainstream economy.
To discuss the policy measures affecting the ASM operations and assess the implications on the growth of the mining industry, the conference will focus on legal policy challenges in dealing with small scale miners, ASM revenue transparency, illicit financial flows, ASM and large scale relationships, ASM sustainable developmental goals, formalization and regularization of artisanal miners.
The core of the event is to connect miners, investors, service providers, stakeholders and policy makers, holistically aligning the artisanal and small scale miners in the mainstream economy in a sustainable and rationale manner.
The series is expected to incorporate policy makers, government bodies, suppliers, manufacturers, mining houses, Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe (CoMZ) members, law enforcement agencies, research institutes, training institutions, universities and colleges with bias towards mining.
Farmers, Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) or civic society, financial institutions, investors not forgetting artisanal and small scale miners will grace the event.
50 ZMF affiliate associations, both at district and regional level will also take part.
ZMF exhibitors are expected to showcase latest technologies, equipment, solutions and innovations to the ASM buyers, an opportunity for ASM miners and other stakeholders to expand connections, launch new products and forge new business partnerships. ENDS//
