By Business Reporter – Wednesday 15 September 2021
HARARE (Mining Index) – SOME small-scale Chinese miners are alleged to be undertaking alluvial mining in Guruve, along the Great Dyke, exporting the raw ore to China for processing, it has emerged.
In September last year, government announced a ban on all riverbed and alluvial mining following cabinet consideration on a research paper co-presented by the Ministers of Mines and Mining Development, together with Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry on the status of riverbed mining/drenching and the environmental challenges in Zimbabwe.
A message circulating on social media, also revealed some photos taken on Sunday 12 September 2021.
“This is the destruction being caused by the Chinese in the (Great) Dyke area where they are removing one metre of soil containing minerals and exporting to China.”
Artisanal and small-scale Chinese miners have over the past decade flocked to Zimbabwe to compete for mining claims with locals Zimbabwean miners in various minerals including gold, chrome, copper, diamonds, and coal.
Zimbabwe’s chrome industry ha also been dominated by the Chinese who, in some areas were buying chrome at a paltry US$12 per ton.
While the export of raw ore by the Chinese to China has not yet been confirmed, various institutions in Zimbabwe have confirmed the country is losing significant mineral revenue to smuggling.
The Ministry of Finance says Zimbabwe has been losing approximately US$1.8 billion of mineral revenue mainly from gold smuggling.
Kazembe Kazembe, the Minister of Home Affairs, said Zimbabwe has been losing about US$100 million worth of gold every month through international smuggling rings and the country’s porous borders. ENDS// www.miningindex.co.zw
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