Fee for mining strategic minerals too high, miners lobby govt

• Published date: 24 February 2023
• Publication title: The Zimbabwean

ccording to participants during a critical stakeholder consultative meeting hosted by the Portfolio Committee on Mines and Mining Development, Thursday in Bulawayo, the proposed entry-level fee of US$100 million is an unreasonable amount that needs to be reviewed. A geologist, Gayle Hansen, highlighted that US$100 million is too high for miners even for large-scale mining companies.

The bill, among other issues, covers transparency in the licensing regime of mining titles, recognition of provincial mining directors and devolution of mining sector administration royalty, equality, and equity of mining fees across provinces and local authorities.

Schedule 2 of the Mines Bill identifies nine minerals as strategic, namely diamonds, rare earth minerals, lithium, and copper, nuclear energy source materials such as uranium; mineral oils, gaseous hydrocarbons, coal and nickel.

During the deliberations, a small-scale miner participant noted that the Bill should be specific on the procedure to be taken should strategic minerals be found in their (small-scale miners) mines.

“We need clarity on the procedure to be taken should a small-scale miner find strategic minerals in their mines. If this issue is not cleared it may lead to corruption because...