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Zimbabwe turns to AI, drones to boost mineral exploration
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Zimbabwe is embracing artificial intelligence (AI), drones and advanced geoscience technologies to accelerate mineral exploration and improve the discovery of new deposits as the country seeks to unlock its vast geological potential.
Speaking at the inaugural Exploration Forum during Mine Entra 2026 in Bulawayo on Thursday, Mines and Mining Development Minister Polite Kambamura said emerging technologies would modernise exploration by making geological surveys faster, safer and more efficient.
He stressed that technological innovation would complement, rather than replace, the work of geologists while helping attract investment into Zimbabwe's mining sector.
"Emerging technologies such as drones, artificial intelligence, and advanced geoscience tools will not replace geologists. Instead, they will enable safer, faster, more efficient, and more productive exploration and geological surveys over vast and often inaccessible areas," Kambamura said.
The minister said Zimbabwe needed to embrace innovation to reverse decades of limited systematic mineral exploration, which had constrained the discovery of new mineral resources.
While the country possesses significant geological potential, Kambamura said modern technology, increased investment and strategic partnerships would be essential to transform that potential into productive mining operations.
"We need financing for exploration because exploration financing is the bridge between geological potential and mine development," he said.
Kambamura also revealed that government is rebuilding and modernising Zimbabwe's geological database through the creation of a digital repository that will consolidate historical records, geological maps, mineral resource data and institutional documents.
He noted that a substantial volume of geological information had left Zimbabwe before and after Independence through bilateral missions and international programmes.
"Some became part of public institutions abroad, others remained in private collections, while many have never been returned," he said.
According to the minister, modern technologies will play a central role in developing a stronger national geological knowledge system and improving decision-making in mineral exploration.
Government's exploration strategy is aimed at creating a pipeline of bankable mining projects while linking new discoveries to downstream mineral processing and beneficiation.
Also addressing the forum, Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe president Fungai Makoni called for greater emphasis on mineral beneficiation, saying local processing was key to unlocking the sector's full economic value.
Makoni said value addition would strengthen Zimbabwe's industrial base, increase export earnings and ensure the country derives greater benefits from its mineral wealth.
Mining remains one of Zimbabwe's most important economic sectors, with exports of gold, platinum group metals, lithium, diamonds and ferrochrome generating a significant share of the country's foreign currency earnings while supporting thousands of jobs and downstream industries.
Speaking at the inaugural Exploration Forum during Mine Entra 2026 in Bulawayo on Thursday, Mines and Mining Development Minister Polite Kambamura said emerging technologies would modernise exploration by making geological surveys faster, safer and more efficient.
He stressed that technological innovation would complement, rather than replace, the work of geologists while helping attract investment into Zimbabwe's mining sector.
"Emerging technologies such as drones, artificial intelligence, and advanced geoscience tools will not replace geologists. Instead, they will enable safer, faster, more efficient, and more productive exploration and geological surveys over vast and often inaccessible areas," Kambamura said.
The minister said Zimbabwe needed to embrace innovation to reverse decades of limited systematic mineral exploration, which had constrained the discovery of new mineral resources.
While the country possesses significant geological potential, Kambamura said modern technology, increased investment and strategic partnerships would be essential to transform that potential into productive mining operations.
"We need financing for exploration because exploration financing is the bridge between geological potential and mine development," he said.
Kambamura also revealed that government is rebuilding and modernising Zimbabwe's geological database through the creation of a digital repository that will consolidate historical records, geological maps, mineral resource data and institutional documents.
He noted that a substantial volume of geological information had left Zimbabwe before and after Independence through bilateral missions and international programmes.
"Some became part of public institutions abroad, others remained in private collections, while many have never been returned," he said.
According to the minister, modern technologies will play a central role in developing a stronger national geological knowledge system and improving decision-making in mineral exploration.
Government's exploration strategy is aimed at creating a pipeline of bankable mining projects while linking new discoveries to downstream mineral processing and beneficiation.
Also addressing the forum, Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe president Fungai Makoni called for greater emphasis on mineral beneficiation, saying local processing was key to unlocking the sector's full economic value.
Makoni said value addition would strengthen Zimbabwe's industrial base, increase export earnings and ensure the country derives greater benefits from its mineral wealth.
Mining remains one of Zimbabwe's most important economic sectors, with exports of gold, platinum group metals, lithium, diamonds and ferrochrome generating a significant share of the country's foreign currency earnings while supporting thousands of jobs and downstream industries.
Source - zimlive
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