By Nigel Pfunde
HARARE — Zimbabwe’s gold production reached 26.05 tonnes in the first seven months of 2026, with small-scale and artisanal miners heavily dominating output and cementing their role as the backbone of the nation’s gold sector Express Mail Zim can report.
To protect these massive gains and secure the economic lifelines of the country, state-run buyer Fidelity Gold Refinery has officially partnered with the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) to stamp out operational leakages, eliminate corruption and enforce ethical leadership across the gold supply chain.
Official performance figures reveal that small-scale and artisanal miners are the primary engine of Zimbabwe’s gold delivery boom with the producers delivering 18.4 tonnes between January and July, representing a dominant 70.6% of all gold delivered to Fidelity.
Large-scale primary mines contributed 7.64 tonnes over the same seven-month period.
Deliveries surged sharply in the second quarter, reaching a peak in June when total monthly purchases hit 4.81 tonnes. Of that June record, small-scale miners accounted for 3.58 tonnes (nearly 75% of the month’s total), while primary producers supplied 1.22 tonnes.
With 26.05 tonnes collected by the end of July, the mining sector remains firmly on track to achieve its national target of 55 tonnes for the year. Gold continues to serve as Zimbabwe’s largest foreign currency earner and directly backs the domestic currency, ZiG, with physical bullion reserves held by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.
While small-scale miners continue to deliver the vast majority of volume, primary producers are positioning for future output through major capital expansion projects, including the landmark Bilboes gold project and bank-syndicated facilities to modernize underground processing operations.
To protect the massive volumes brought in by small-scale producers and safeguard national wealth, Fidelity Gold Refinery has teamed up with ZACC to institute rigorous corruption prevention systems and build institutional resilience.
As part of this direct partnership, Fidelity recently hosted a joint two-day Integrity Workshop in Harare alongside ZACC officials, bringing together board members, senior managementand Fidelity’s newly formed Integrity Committee.
This saw the members of Fidelity’s Integrity Committee officially signing formal Integrity Pledges supervised by ZACC, binding leadership to strict personal accountability, transparency and ethical conduct.
ZACC experts also provided practical training on identifying corruption risks, managing conflicts of interest, protecting whistleblowers, closing operational leakages and maintaining transparent gold buying processes.
The alliance aims to reassure local producers and foreign investors alike that Zimbabwe’s gold value chain operates under world-class governance standards.
Opening the joint workshop, Fidelity General Manager Peter Magaramombe stressed that sealing leaks and enforcing integrity is non-negotiabl especially given the massive volume of gold flowing through their operations from small-scale miners.
”As the national gold refinery, Fidelity plays a critical role in the gold value chain. We understand that for Zimbabwe to fully benefit from its mineral resources, we must uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability,” said Magaramombe.
Adding :
“Corruption has no place in the mining sector because it erodes value, discourages investment and robs the nation and its people of development.”
Delivering the keynote address, ZACC Executive Secretary Advocate Shepherd Manhivi commended Fidelity for proactively inviting ZACC to fortify its internal systems.
“Integrity is the foundation upon which strong institutions are built.
“Organisations that cultivate a culture of integrity are better positioned to prevent corruption, inspire public confidence and contribute meaningfully to national development,” he said.
Through this active partnership with ZACC, Fidelity aims to ensure that the record-breaking output delivered by Zimbabwe’s small-scale miners translates directly into protected, transparent and maximum value for the entire nation.
