Harare- Planet Gold Zimbabwe will host its inaugural Annual Stakeholders Conference in Harare on October 27 and 28, running under the theme “Building Together for a Sustainable Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM) Sector.”
Addressing the media ahead of the event, Planet Gold Zimbabwe Project Manager Nyaradzo Mutonhori said the conference will serve as a moment of reflection and forward planning for the project.
“We will reflect and look back at what we have done so far and measure our progress to see what worked, what can be improved, and the lessons and challenges we have encountered along the way,” said Mutonhori.
She added that the gathering will also provide a platform to plan for the next phase of the project.
“As we move into the second year, we will roll out what we call Mining Academies, where we will provide technical support to artisanal and small-scale miners. The Zimbabwe School of Mines will be our technical partner in this initiative, and we will also explore other potential partnerships,” she said.
The conference will also mark the launch of Planet Gold Zimbabwe’s latest publication titled
“Strengthening the Mines and Minerals Bill: Advancing Reforms for the Benefit of Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Miners in Zimbabwe.”
Mutonhori said the publication captures key concerns raised by small-scale miners during consultations on the Mines and Minerals Bill.
“Our wish is that the voices of small-scale miners are heard and factored into the legislative process,” she added.
Planet Gold Zimbabwe ASGM Technical Specialist Mollin Siwela noted that the conference will also discuss policy gaps in the recently gazetted 2025 Minerals Bill.
“The Bill is silent on the use of mercury, yet Zimbabwe is a signatory to the Minamata Convention. This represents a missed opportunity to incentivize the reduction of mercury use and support the adoption of safer processing technologies,” said Siwela.
Planet Gold Zimbabwe is a five-year project supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), led by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), and executed by IMPACT in partnership with the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development and the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife.
The initiative seeks to reduce the use of mercury in artisanal and small-scale gold mining the world’s largest source of anthropogenic mercury emissions while improving the health and livelihoods of mining communities.
In Zimbabwe, the project aims to support 7,500 men and women across 11 mine sites, reduce mercury use by 4.85 tonnes over five years, and promote improved management of approximately 76,000 hectares of landscapes nationwide.
