News / National
Govt gets tough on reckless chrome miners
06 Sep 2018 at 01:40hrs | Views
THE Ministry of Mines and Mining Development has put chrome miners under close watch following concerns over mushrooming of highway operations that threaten roads and pose risks to humans and animals.
Reckless chrome miners would be forced to reclaim pits left after the extraction of the mineral as part of measures to restore order in the subsector.
In view of environmental degradation worries, the ministry has since directed chrome mines to employ permanent and qualified mining managers to monitor and control mining activities as well as educating the miners about responsible mining.
Two weeks ago, Government ordered all chrome mining activities along the Shurugwi-Zvishavane highway to stop due to the destruction that the unplanned extraction of the mineral was causing to the highway.
Midlands provincial mining director Engineer Nelson Munyanduri expressed hope that these raft of measures will bring sanity to chrome mining activities in the province.
"All miners should have mining titles in the form of certificates, grants or tribute. Such titles prevent irresponsible mining as miners will be acquainted with mining laws and rehabilitation guidelines. All miners are required to practise responsible mining by reclaiming all the pits they would have left during their mining activities, before moving on to another area," he said.
"Every miner should have an appointed manager who will help them practise responsible mining and help miners rehabilitate the area after they are done excavating because you cannot leave all those pits uncovered."
Eng Munyanduri said chrome mining has been on the increase in the province following the increase of commodity prices on the world market.
"Since the surge in chrome prices on the world market, there has been an increase in the extraction of the mineral along the road, a development that has seen excavators and front end loaders being used by miners just a few metres from the Shurugwi-Zvishavane highway," he said.
"The development has caused disturbances to motorists and has put lives of people and livestock in danger. The rate at which mining is causing land degradation in the province is alarming."
Reckless chrome miners would be forced to reclaim pits left after the extraction of the mineral as part of measures to restore order in the subsector.
In view of environmental degradation worries, the ministry has since directed chrome mines to employ permanent and qualified mining managers to monitor and control mining activities as well as educating the miners about responsible mining.
Two weeks ago, Government ordered all chrome mining activities along the Shurugwi-Zvishavane highway to stop due to the destruction that the unplanned extraction of the mineral was causing to the highway.
Midlands provincial mining director Engineer Nelson Munyanduri expressed hope that these raft of measures will bring sanity to chrome mining activities in the province.
"All miners should have mining titles in the form of certificates, grants or tribute. Such titles prevent irresponsible mining as miners will be acquainted with mining laws and rehabilitation guidelines. All miners are required to practise responsible mining by reclaiming all the pits they would have left during their mining activities, before moving on to another area," he said.
"Every miner should have an appointed manager who will help them practise responsible mining and help miners rehabilitate the area after they are done excavating because you cannot leave all those pits uncovered."
Eng Munyanduri said chrome mining has been on the increase in the province following the increase of commodity prices on the world market.
"Since the surge in chrome prices on the world market, there has been an increase in the extraction of the mineral along the road, a development that has seen excavators and front end loaders being used by miners just a few metres from the Shurugwi-Zvishavane highway," he said.
"The development has caused disturbances to motorists and has put lives of people and livestock in danger. The rate at which mining is causing land degradation in the province is alarming."
Source - chronicle
