By Staff Reporter
Zimbabwe has banned riverbed alluvial mining with immediate effect to protect the environment, a move that could impact many of the country’s gold miners.
Agriculture Minister Anxious Masuka made the announcement after a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, adding that enforcement measures will be put in place to ensure compliance.
Since 2011, the southern African country has allowed large scale and mechanical alluvial mining which has resulted in water pollution, siltation and degradation of river channels, Information Minister Jenfan Muswere said at the cabinet briefing. In 2020, authorities had issued a similar ban, but it was never fully enforced.
Over 60% of Zimbabwe’s gold is produced by small-scale miners, many of whom source the yellow metal through riverbed mining.
In January through July this year, the country produced 17,279.4 kilograms, up from 16,855.4 kilograms a year earlier, according to official data.
