Harare — The government has reserved Zimbabwe’s small-scale gold mining sector exclusively for Zimbabwean citizens and wholly Zimbabwean-owned entities, Mines Minister Polite Kambamura announced Friday.
The policy aims to promote local miners, reduce foreign dominance, and increase gold production through loan schemes for small-scale miners.
It comes in response to concerns over unsustainable, mechanized, and non-standard mining practices by foreign investors, and frequent conflicts between foreign investors, communities, local miners, and farmers.
“With immediate effect, the small-scale gold mining sector in Zimbabwe is reserved exclusively for Zimbabwean citizens and Zimbabwean citizen wholly owned entities,” Kambamura said.
Under the new measures, no foreign individual, foreign-controlled company, or foreign beneficial owner may acquire, hold, or control any mining title classified as small-scale gold mining.
Foreign entities are also barred from participating directly or indirectly in the operation or management of such activities.The ban extends to arrangements — including tribute agreements, joint ventures, syndicates, or partnerships — intended to give foreign parties economic or operational control over reserved small-scale mining.
Nominee arrangements, proxy ownership, undisclosed beneficial ownership, and other mechanisms designed to circumvent the policy will be unlawful and subject to cancellation and enforcement action.
For the policy, small and medium-scale gold mining refers to operations producing up to 20kg of gold per month and/or with capital investment of up to US$15 million.
Operations exceeding either threshold will be classified and regulated under the large-scale mining framework.
Persons and entities currently operating in the small and medium-scale sector must regularize their operations with the Ministry of Mines by 1 January 2027.
The re-registration process will require verification of citizenship and beneficial ownership; disclosure of corporate and financing structures; confirmation of compliance with environmental, tax, labour, and mineral marketing laws; and verification of production levels and capital investment thresholds.
“Any mining title not re-registered within the prescribed period shall be liable to cancellation or other regulatory action in accordance with applicable law,” Kambamura said.
Foreign investors and foreign-controlled entities currently operating in the small-scale sector must regularize by transitioning to mining activities above the prescribed small-scale thresholds.