Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. ZIMBABWE has set a target to reduce the use of mercury in gold production by 4,85 tonnes while improving the management of 76 000 hectares of land in the next five years.
The targets are part of the five-year, planetGOLD Zimbabwe project that is supported by the Global Environment Facility, led by the UN Environment Programme and executed by IMPACT in partnership with the Mines and Mining Development, and Environment, Climate and Wildlife ministries.
planetGOLD aims to reduce the use of mercury in artisanal and small-scale gold mining, which is the world’s largest source of anthropogenic mercury emissions, while improving the health and lives of local mining communities.
In Zimbabwe, the project plans to support 7 500 men and women at 11 mine sites.
Speaking during the planetGold Zimbabwe annual stakeholder conference in Harare yesterday, Environment, Climate and Wildlife permanent secretary Tadeous Chifamba said the lessons, partnerships and innovations in the project, which is going into its second year of implementation, would inform the government’s review of the National Action Plan under the Minamata Convention on Mercury.
“The government of Zimbabwe is fully committed to the implementation of the National Action Plan, which seeks to eliminate mercury use in ASGM [artisanal and small-scale gold miners], promote safer alternatives and align national mining practices with global environmental standards,” he said.
“This is not just a compliance exercise — it is a commitment to protecting the health of our miners, our communities and our ecosystems for generations to come.”
Mines and Mining Development chief engineer Michael Munodawafa said the planetGOLD Zimbabwe project was the central pillar of the government-led effort.
“The project supports our national goal to formalise and professionalise artisanal and small-scale mining,” he said.
“It helps miners to adopt mercury-free technologies, improve safety and environmental management, and gain better access to finance and markets.”
ASGM is the largest source of mercury in the world releasing 838 tonnes annually. In Zimbabwe more than 24 tonnes of mercury are released each year.
Zimbabwe’s National Action Plan, released in November 2019, sets out national level commitments to address these challenges emphasising the need for strong co-operation among government agencies, ASGM associations and other stakeholders to promote responsible mining practices and improve the health and safety of communities.
The planetGOLD project, supporting 7 500 men and women across 11 districts, aims to reduce the use of mercury in the ASGM sector through a holistic, multisectoral, integrated formalisation approach and to increase access to traceable gold supply chains and finance for the adaptation of sustainable mercury-free technologies.
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