By Zachary Gava
Harare, (New Ziana) – The Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) has called for innovative financing models, improved access to equipment and stronger safety measures to boost productivity and sustainability in the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector.
Speaking during the Annual General Meeting in Harare on Friday, ZMF president Henrietta Rushwaya said limited access to finance and modern equipment continued to constrain small-scale miners despite the significant contribution of the sector to the country’s mining industry.
She said the Federation was advocating for financing arrangements that recognized the risks associated with mining, working capital requirements and the high cost of processing equipment.
“We therefore advocate for innovative financing structures, including mining title as collateral, equipment financing, production-linked financing, concessionary loans, revolving funds, equipment leasing and partnerships between Government, financial institutions and mining associations,” she said.
Rushwaya said financing should reach genuine miners at provincial and district levels, rather than remain concentrated among larger operators.
She identified inadequate access to machinery, including excavators, drilling rigs, loaders, compressors, milling plants and gold recovery equipment, as another major impediment to productivity.
The ZMF supported partnerships between Government and private players to facilitate equipment access through mining associations and productive groups, with machinery linked to measurable production, safety and environmental performance, she said.
Mine safety also featured prominently, with Rushwaya describing accidents and fatalities as some of the most serious challenges confronting the ASM sector.
She said responsibility for mine safety should not rest exclusively with Government regulators, but should become part of the mining business culture.
“Our safety priorities include regular training, shaft inspections, proper timbering and ground support, safe access, the prohibition of unsafe underground practices, emergency preparedness, first aid training, personal protective equipment and reporting of dangerous workings,” she said, adding there was need to intensify campaigns against mine fatalities and greater preparedness for emergencies.
On environmental sustainability, Rushwaya urged miners to embrace responsible water use, proper waste management, safe chemical handling, protection of rivers and wetlands, and rehabilitation of exhausted mining sites.
“Environmental compliance must be seen as part of responsible mining, not simply as a regulatory obligation,” she said.
On beneficiation, she said small-scale miners should also benefit from value addition through improved mineral processing, modern gold recovery technologies, chrome beneficiation, lithium processing and access to appropriate facilities.
She added that technology transfer and local manufacturing of mining equipment would help develop mining-related industries and retain more value within the country.
Rushwaya said the participation of the ZMF at the Mine Entra 2026, held under the theme “An Earth Transform and Prosper: Entering Economic Transformation through the Mining Value Chain”, reinforced the need for greater participation by small-scale miners across the mining value chain.
She said despite the sector’s potential, miners continued to face limited financing, insecure mining tenure, administrative delays, mining disputes, competing land-use interests, high operating costs, inadequate geological information and limited technical capacity.
Looking ahead, Rushwaya outlined several priorities for 2027, including a national ASM ground access programme targeting idle, expired and rejected mining claims, structured financial partnerships and an equipment access programme involving Government, manufacturers and member organizations.
Other proposed initiatives include establishing ZMF Centres of Excellence in strategic mining areas, a national mine safety and fatality reduction campaign, and an environmental responsibility and rehabilitation programme.
The organization also intends to submit proposals on the Mines and Minerals legislative framework, develop an investment-ready portfolio of mining projects and establish a national ASM database capturing information on miners, production, employment, financing, equipment, safety and environmental issues.
Rushwaya said the Federation would also strengthen its provincial structures, governance systems and services to members.
Resolutions proposed at the AGM included intensified engagement with the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development on mining law reforms, improved provincial mining administration and the establishment of a national campaign to reduce mine fatalities.
Rushwaya and her executive got full backing for their tenure in office to be extended in office to 2033 in recognition of the work they have done for the federation during the past years.
Established in 2003, the Zimbabwe Miners Federation is an umbrella organization representing artisanal and small-scale miners. It advocates for their interests, promotes formalization and seeks to improve their participation in the country’s mining economy.
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