Zimbabwe's gold output rises to record high

Zimbabwe's gold production rose sharply by 29 percent in the first ten months of 2025, reaching 41.8 tonnes, up from 32.4 tonnes during the same period last year, according to figures from Fidelity Gold Refinery, the country's sole gold buyer.

The growth was driven largely by artisanal and small-scale miners, who contributed 30.99 tonnes-up from 20.4 tonnes a year earlier-now accounting for roughly 74 percent of total national output. Analysts attribute this performance to government incentives and formalisation efforts that have boosted productivity in the sector.

Conversely, output from large-scale producers dipped slightly to 10.79 tonnes from 11.7 tonnes in the same period last year.

Gold continues to be Zimbabwe's top export earner, with foreign currency receipts soaring 88.9 percent to US$3.76 billion in the 10 months to October 2025, compared to US$1.99 billion in the corresponding period in 2024, according to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.

Officials say the surge is also supported by record international gold prices, which have provided a significant boost to the country's foreign currency inflows.