MINING AS A BUSINESS: HOW TO OBTAIN A MINING CLAIM IN ZIMBABWE

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A number of young people are not venturing to Mining Business due to lack of knowledge and the skill. On knowledge we are here to give the basics of venturing into a Mining Business, the procedure is less hectic and safe if all the procedures are followed. We are not to talk of the fortunes behind a successful mining venture.

DID YOU KNOW?

Zimbabwe has 60 discovered minerals
Any Zimbabwean Citizen above the age of 18 can acquire a mining claim.
The Zimbabwean Mining Industry aims to be 12 Billion Dollar Industry by 2022
Over 50% of Zimbabwe exports are minerals
A prospectus license costs only 1000rtgs it allows you to:
- Search for the land you want to mine for 2 years
- Peg 10 claims at 1 hectare each or a total of 10 hectares of land

Prospecting and Pegging

One has to apply for a prospecting licence, and when approved one automatically acquires the rights of prospecting and pegging mining claims anywhere in his respective district of registration.
When a Prospecting Licence holder has identified a mineral deposit that he/she is interested in, he/she appoints an agent or an Approved Prospector to peg on his behalf.
The agent is required to physically peg the area by marking the deposit with a Discovery Peg. He/she should also post Prospecting, Discovery and Registration Notices on the ground. The notices must be posted in a conspicuous manner to alert other prospectors.
Before posting these notices the agent is required to inform/or seek consent from the landowner of his intention to prospect.

NB: Consent is only sought from the landowner if prospecting on a farm less than 100 hectares, otherwise the prospector is only required to inform the farm/landowner in writing either by registered mail or deliver by hand.

Mine Registration

All areas classified as not open to prospecting and pegging or reserved against prospecting and pegging cannot be pegged, e.g. cultivated lands, dip tanks, Dams, etc.
An application for registration must be submitted to the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development offices. The application must have copies of the following attachments:
- Prospecting license(s);
- Prospecting Notice;
- Discovery Notice (Base Minerals);
- Notification of intention to prospect to the landowner;
- A map in triplicate to the scale of 1:25000.
If the Provincial Mining Directors is satisfied that all pegging procedures have been followed he shall issue a certificate of registration upon payment of the gazette fee.
This allows the holder to start mining operations subject to meeting other obligations like Environment Impact Assessment (EIA).

Post-Mine Registration

Within three months from the date of registration the miner is required to erect permanent beacons on the ground.
All precious mineral claims are supposed to be continuously worked on in order to obtain renewal of title. Claims have a 12 month tenure after which they shall expire or be renewed.
Gold and other precious metal claims are inspected by production and capital expenditure.
Base metal claims can be protected by payment.
If a mining claim is transferred or sold a Certificate of Registration after Transfer shall be issued by the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development.
Failure to renew title will result in the forfeiture of a mining claim. Furthermore loss of title can be through cancellation or abandonment.

REFERENCE:

Mines and Minerals Act
Zimbabwe Mineral Potential Booklet

About Post Author

Denzel Chimene

Denzel Chimene is an entrepreneur with interests in different industrial sectors and a metallurgy technician in making at the Zimbabwe School of Mines. He is also the Founding President of EntreVision Org, an entrepreneurial, innovation and talent empowering organization.

dtchimene@entrevision.co.zw