Zimbabwe’s artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector plays a central role in the national economy, contributing over 65% of gold production and supporting an estimated 500,000 miners. However, the sector remains largely informal and heavily reliant on mercury for gold extraction—posing serious risks to human health, the environment, and long-term sustainability.
With 96% of ASGM processing sites in Zimbabwe still using mercury, miners, nearby communities, and ecosystems face chronic exposure to toxic pollution. Mercury vapours released during open amalgam burning and runoff into water bodies contribute to neurological disorders, respiratory issues, and developmental impairments—especially affecting women and children engaged in or living near mining activities.
To tackle this urgent issue, the planetGOLD Zimbabwe project—officially launched in November 2024—is supporting a national effort to reduce mercury use and emissions. The project addresses four key barriers driving mercury dependence: lack of formal recognition of miners, limited access to finance, low awareness of mercury-free technologies, and limited knowledge-sharing across the sector.
Aligned with Zimbabwe’s 2021 ratification of the Minamata Convention on Mercury and priorities outlined in its National Action Plan, the project is working closely with government partners and stakeholders to implement practical solutions. Early activities include baseline research on mercury-free processing options, finalizing the country’s gold strategy, and developing awareness materials on gender and child labour in ASGM.
A targeted set of activities will be developed to promote effective savings mechanisms among ASGM miners. These will include tailored capacity-building sessions on financial management topics designed to strengthen day-to-day financial decision-making and resource planning. The overarching objective is to strengthen their internal financial capacity, enabling them to cover small-scale expenses, including the purchase of mercury-free processing equipment. Improved internal savings practices will also enhance financial discipline and credibility , thereby increasing their eligibility for financing from commercial banks and national financial institutions.
By advancing formalization, access to finance, building capacity, and fostering access to cleaner technologies, planetGOLD Zimbabwe aims to transform the sector into a driver of inclusive, environmentally sound development—supporting a responsible gold supply chain and contributing to national and global sustainability goals.
Key Milestones:
The planetGOLD Zimbabwe project officially launched on 14 November 2024. Since inception, the project has made considerable progress in establishing a strong foundation for its implementation. Key milestones include:
- Active engagement with key government ministries, stakeholders, and the Project Steering Committee.
- Baseline research to assess available mercury-free technologies and their potential for scale-up.
- Support for the finalization of Zimbabwe’s National Gold Strategy.
- Development of awareness-raising materials on gender and child labour in the ASGM sector.
The next steps include detailed site profiling, capturing perspectives from ASGM actors on barriers to formalization. This will inform a comprehensive policy and technical framework for aligning gold supply chains with both national regulatory priorities and international best practices. Tailored learning materials on financial management will be developed, and training sessions will be conducted for ASGM miners. Different financial mechanisms will be assessed, depending on the amounts required and the opportunities that can be realized. The project will conduct assessments to help financial institutions understand the ASGM sector and the commercial potential.
Key Objectives:
planetGOLD Zimbabwe builds on previous efforts towards the following outcomes in Zimbabwe’s ASGM sector to reduce mercury use and emissions:
- Legal recognition and formalization; streamlined regulations and greater institutional support to facilitate responsible mining practices.
- Improved access to finance for miners and mining groups, enabling investment in mercury-free technologies and responsible operations.
- Adoption of mercury free technologies and better practices to reduce health and environmental risks posed by mercury in artisanal small scale gold mining.
- Enhanced knowledge-sharing and collaboration across the sector, promoting the dissemination and scaling of best practices for mercury reduction.
These outcomes align with the four core components of the global planetGOLD programme, ensuring Zimbabwe’s efforts are consistent with international standards and best practices.
