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Chinese miner loses granite licence

by Staff reporter
08 Nov 2021 at 05:24hrs | Views
A Chinese firm, Heijin Mining Company, is set to lose its certificates of operations in Kaseke and Chibvi 2, in Murehwa following complaints by the community, Chief Nyajina and Councillor Marowa.

The company wanted to extract black granite in the area.

Government has issued a notice of intention to cancel the certificates of registration.

An assessment found out that the two blocks of claims were registered encompassing people's homesteads and fields in Uzumba, without the consent of the people holding the portions of the land.

In essence, the prospecting and pegging was done in violation of Section 31 of the Mines and Minerals Act Chapter 21:05 which prohibits pegging on land that other people are occupying without their consent.

The proposed date for cancellation of the certificates of registration for the two blocks is December 6 and Heijin has up to that date to appeal to the Minister of Mines in writing.

In the meantime, all operations are automatically suspended.

The notice has excited villagers that were concerned that they would be evicted from their forefathers' land.

Uzumba legislator, Cde Simbaneuta Mudarikwa yesterday said the pegging of the mine was not properly done.

"The way the Kaseke area was pegged did not follow the proper procedures in line with the Mines and Minerals Act Section 31," he said.

Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Mashonaland East Province, Aplonia Munzverengwi said: "The Minister (of Mines) saw it fit to withdraw the licence and stopped the mining activities in Kaseke because we are seeing wrong doings being done here."

Zanu-PF Mashonaland East Acting Provincial Chairperson Engineer Michael Madanha said: "There are people who are taking advantage of others who have had their areas pegged.

"We want to catch those people and put them in their position."

Source - The Herald