By Nigel Pfunde
BINDURA -Mutapa Gold Resources (MGR)is set to rope in artisanal miners for exploration in areas that are difficult to mine using conventional methods, chief executive Patrick Maseva-Shayawasha , has said.
Addressing parliamentrians from the Public Accounts Committee during their tour of Freda Rebecca Mine yesterday, Maseva-Shayawashaya said the company would replicate the successful model implemented at Evington Mine in Chegutu, which saw 300 artisanal miners graduate under a gradual formalisation programme.
“Our general manager Tirivashe (Vere) is here and his role is to spearhead the training and empowerment of artisanal miners,” he said.
“We need to do gold exploration with them in areas where conventional mining is difficult to implement and gone are the days we used to hunt for them chasing them away. We are now working together,” he said.
“So certainly, yes that’s the plan to replicate that model to Jena Mine and Phoenix Prince Mine, a portion of what is known as Kitsiyatota,” he added.
He said the company would empower the miners with skills, funding and equipment to boost output for mutual benefit.
“We will empower them with skills, funding, equipment and we increase production and we all make money and we need our share of the money,” he said.
Artisanal and small-scale miners have become the backbone of the country’s gold sector, contributing 75 percent of deliveries to Fidelity Gold Refinery last year.
In 2025, the sub-sector delivered 34.9 tonnes, helping push total output to a record 46.7 tonnes.
Officials said the surge has been driven by firm global prices, policy support and gradual formalisation. However, the sector remains dogged by unsafe conditions, environmental damage and inefficiencies.
Mutapa Gold Resources said these challenges are being addressed through structured training and formalisation programmes modelled on the Evington success, which the company views as critical to sustaining and growing national gold production.
