Nust steps up move to start gold mining at Bulawayo campus

The National University of Science and Technology (Nust) has formally applied for special dispensation to undertake experimental mining on its main Bulawayo campus, aiming to advance research, teaching, and innovation in mineral extraction and mining engineering.

The initiative also seeks to curb illegal gold panning that has increasingly encroached onto campus grounds and nearby residential areas such as Killarney, causing environmental degradation. By formalising mining operations, Nust intends to harness its gold deposits in a controlled academic environment, rather than merely reacting to unauthorised activities.

Nust has applied to the Bulawayo City Council for a Special Mining Grant, which would allow it to engage the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development and partner with the School of Mines to conduct experimental mining and research. The university emphasises that the mine will serve as a practical training facility, fostering innovation, testing new technologies, and developing solutions for the mining sector.

The project aligns with Education 5.0, the government's framework to integrate teaching, research, community engagement, innovation, and industrialisation, while also contributing to the sustainability of Zimbabwe's mining industry.

Illegal mining has been a persistent challenge: earlier this year, Nust enlisted the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to repel gold panners, and in the previous year, six men were arrested and sentenced to six months in prison for conducting illicit mining operations within the campus.

The experimental mine is envisioned as a model for combining academic research with practical mining operations, providing students with hands-on experience while protecting university property and nearby communities from illegal mining activities.