Pretty Manyewe
President Mnangagwa said the continued growth in the mining industry is a sign that his vision of a US$12 billion mining industry next year is achievable.
In 2021, activity in the mining industry amounted to US$US5.2 billion, in 2017 the sector`s performance stood at US$2.9 billion.
The growth has happened during the days of Covid-19, where commercial activity was subdued.
Today’s officiating ceremony of the 25th edition of the Mining, Engineering and Transport (Mine Entra) Expo, currently underway in Bulawayo at the ZITF Exhibition Park by the President Mnangagwa, urged players in mining to work together.
The theme of this Conference “Explore, Extract, Expand–Towards Sustainable Mining Value Chains” resonated with the Government’s policy of targeting the upward growth of the mining sector.
President Mnangagwa said he is confident that the mining industry’s input and work being invested will surely see it amount to USD$12 billion by year 2023.
“My Administration remains emphatic in calls for the development of capabilities that propel value addition and beneficiation, riding on ICT driven processes. The US$12 billion target is, therefore, within reach and set to see the realisation of a diversified, integrated, modern and industrialised economy synonymous with a prosperous society. The importance of natural resources and in particular minerals towards driving sustainable socio-economic development cannot be over emphasised.
To this end, I challenge captains of the mining industry to take advantage of this Conference by leveraging on the new partnerships and synergies to propel the transformation of Zimbabwe’s economy, “ said the President.
In recent days, the mining industry has seen significant growth through the expansion of Zimplats and Unki Mines; the re-opening of Eureka Gold Mine; Shamva Gold Mine; Rio-Zim Cam and Motor Biox Gold Plant Expansion Project; Radnor Mine; and most recently, the Sinomine Bikita Minerals Lithium project, among others.
The President also emphasized the importance of value addition saying,
“Plans are in place for the accelerated value addition and beneficiation of minerals such as gold, the platinum group of metals, diamonds, chrome and ferrochrome, steel, lithium, nickel, granite, coal and hydro-carbons, among others. More so that value addition and beneficiation are the important yardsticks to benchmark the sector’s production levels, productivity and profitability. The associated down and up-stream productive and supply chain linkages must be given due attention to enable the country to generate more jobs and empowerment opportunities, especially for the youth as well as foreign currency through the export of high value finished goods.”
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