Canadian firm hides Zimbabwean Mineral Data

Crucial Zimbabwean minerals exploration data is stuck in the hands of foreigners after a Canadian firm contracted by Government to conduct aeromagnetic surveys left without handing over the results.

There are also indications that another comprehensive geological survey is - in unclear circumstances - in the hands of researchers at a South African university and bits of it could be being "auctioned" off to individuals who then come to Zimbabwe to mine clandestinely.

This raises speculation that foreigners might have greater knowledge of the country's mineral reserves, meaning the State is hampered in planning policy while outsiders can exploit reserves to Zimbabwe's detriment.

Government recently tried in vain to access the information held by the as yet unnamed Canadian firm and has since formed the National Mining Company to oversee prospecting on its own.

Mines and Mining Development Deputy Minister Fred Moyo last week said the company explored for minerals across the country but left without surrendering the geophysical data.

He did not say how exactly this happened, or how much Government had paid for the exploration work.

Deputy Minister Moyo said during a question and answer session in Parliament that Government did not get the geological maps despite having made concerted efforts to engage the Canadians. The company was hired through the Canadian International Development Agency.

Information obtained by The Sunday Mail indicates Cida hired the company on behalf of the Canadian government, which had entered an agreement with Harare in 1985. Canada's Ambassador to Zimbabwe Ms Lisa Stadelbauer could not be reached for comment.

The mining sector is the mainstay of national economic growth and accounts for over 50 percent of foreign currency exchange flows, earning US$2 billion in 2012, and contributes about 19 percent to GDP. The country is endowed with diamonds, coal, asbestos, copper, nickel, gold, platinum and iron ore among many other strategic minerals.

Mberengwa East MP Cde Makhosini Hlongwane (ZANU-PF) queried why such vital information was in the hands of foreigners whose governments have long been hostile to Zimbabwe.

Western governments, including Canada, imposed illegal sanctions on Zimbabwe after Zanu-PF implemented revolutionary and successful fast-track land reforms that have benefited hundreds of thousands of ordinary Zimbabweans. Deputy Minister Moyo said: "I can confirm that there are two cases where a Canadian company was hired by Government to do exploration work covering the entire spectrum of our mineral portfolio. I also confirm that we are unable to access the results that emanated from that exercise for various reasons.

"I frankly have not been able to see the contract that we signed with the Canadian company. I know that the Canadian company left the country in a bit of a huff for reasons that I am not sure about, whether they were either (sic) political or economic. We are not getting responses from them and we are simply not able to get the information sent back to us.

"There is also work that was done by other oil companies whose results were given to us but without full analysis.

We are trying to analyse those results so that we can confirm what that work, in fact, has indicated with regard to mineral endowment."

Mutasa South legislator Cde Irene Zindi (ZANU-PF) said there was need to engage the Canadian Embassy.

But Deputy Minister Moyo said Government had tried that route and had "not met with success".

Cde Hlongwane told The Sunday  Mail on Friday that the authorities could drag the Canadian firm to court to force them to release the data.