Zimbabwe’s gold sector moved closer to a historic production milestone after deliveries to Fidelity Gold Refinery (FGR) rose 10.25% in the first 10 months of 2026, driven largely by sustained output from artisanal and small-scale miners.
Data released by FGR shows that cumulative gold deliveries reached about 40 tonnes between January and October, leaving the refinery needing an additional 10 tonnes during the final two months of the year to achieve the country’s 50-tonne target.
October was particularly strong, with deliveries climbing 17.04% to 5,519 kilograms from 4,715 kilograms recorded in September.
The artisanal and small-scale mining sector remained the dominant contributor, accounting for 4,271.7 kilograms, or 77.4% of all gold delivered during the month. Large-scale producers contributed the remaining 22.6%.
Industry observers attribute the strong October performance to delayed onset of the rainy season, which allowed small-scale miners to maintain production levels that are typically disrupted by flooding of open-pit operations during the fourth quarter.
The continued growth in formal gold deliveries also reflects efforts by the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development and FGR to formalise artisanal mining activities.
FGR has expanded its gold-buying network to 25 permanent buying centres while deploying mobile buying units to mining communities in remote areas.
The refinery’s policy of paying miners promptly in United States dollars at prices linked to international market rates has also encouraged producers to sell through formal channels, helping curb gold leakages and smuggling.
The performance comes as government increasingly positions gold as a key pillar for economic growth, foreign currency generation and reserve accumulation.
Building on the momentum, FGR General Manager Peter Magaramombe recently announced a target of 55 tonnes in gold deliveries for 2027.
As part of that strategy, the refinery is set to commission the Mberengwa Gold Service Centre this month, while a similar facility in Inyathi is being accelerated to improve access to processing services and strengthen gold deliveries from mining communities.
With nearly 40 tonnes already delivered and small-scale miners maintaining strong output, Zimbabwe enters the final stretch of 2026 within reach of one of the highest annual gold production levels in its history. 
