Mutapa Gold says ASM training model will extend to Phoenix Prince in Bindura as 300 graduate in Chegutu

Mutapa Gold says ASM training model will extend to Phoenix Prince in Bindura as 300 graduate in Chegutu
For all the News from Mashonaland Central, Join One of Our Groups: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KPKHV62YLF92BvfqmgemLT

Mutapa Gold Resources says it will replicate its artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) formalisation model at Phoenix Prince in Bindura, as the company and government officials push for safer, more organised gold production in communities that depend on mining.

The commitment was made by Mutapa Gold Resources chief executive Patrick Maseva-Shayawabaya while addressing the graduation of 300 artisanal miners at Magandi Park in Chegutu on 30 April 2026. The graduates are the first cohort in a programme targeting 1,500 miners, run in partnership with the Zimbabwe School of Mines and other training partners.

Maseva-Shayawabaya said the company was changing its approach to ASM operators, moving away from treating them as illegal intruders. “Gone are the days when we used to have drones just to spot where the artisanal miners are so that we could chase them away,” he said. “We now see them as partners.”

He said the training and certification drive was aimed at ensuring that artisanal miners are integrated into formal value chains and operate more safely and sustainably. “When we speak about formalisation of artisanal mining, we are not speaking about removing miners from the money chain,” he said. “We are speaking about making them work safer, more profitably, more organised, and more sustainable.”

Mutapa Gold Resources, owned by the Mutapa Investment Fund, operates Freda Rebecca and Shamva gold mines in Mashonaland Central, as well as Jena Mines in the Midlands and other assets in the Kwekwe area. The company said its three main operations employ just under 4,000 people and produce an average of 300 kilograms of gold per month.

According to Maseva-Shayawabaya, the company is already extending its Elvington artisanal mining model to Jena Mines in the Midlands and Phoenix Prince in Bindura, as part of broader plans to professionalise small-scale mining, improve compliance and reduce conflict on mining ground.

To Advertise Inbox Us: https://wa.me/263719679800

The Chegutu graduation was also addressed by Mines and Mining Development Minister Engineer Dr Polite Kambamura, who praised the initiative and said small-scale miners contribute a large share of Zimbabwe’s gold output. “Allow me to formally thank Mutapa Gold Resources for this funding initiative… When these people are empowered, we have empowered a nation,” Kambamura said at the event.

Zimbabwe School of Mines principal Edwin Gwaze said the short course was designed to strengthen safety, compliance, financial literacy and productivity, with miners receiving practical skills in responsible mining. At the same graduation, Gwaze cited 2025 gold delivery figures showing artisanal and small-scale miners contributing the bulk of a national output of 46.7 tonnes.

In remarks reported from the Chegutu training programme, Gwaze described the certification as a route into the formal economy. “Today marks a defining moment… a transition from the shadows of informality to the light of professional excellence,” he said.

One of the notable features of the graduating class, according to figures released at the event, was women’s participation: 148 of the 300 graduates were women, close to half of the cohort, reflecting increasing female involvement in mining at community level.

Maseva-Shayawabaya said the training programme was designed to address occupational safety and health, technical capability, environmental stewardship and financial formalisation so that miners can access banking and grow from subsistence to sustainable enterprises.

“Formalisation of artisanal mining is not an event. It is a process that needs partnership,” he said, adding that Mutapa Gold Resources intended to work with government, local authorities, traditional leaders, training institutions and miners to develop a model that can be replicated in other districts.

For Mashonaland Central communities, where mining activity is significant in places such as Bindura and Shamva, officials and industry players say professionalising ASM could reduce accidents, improve accountability and limit disputes linked to unregulated mining, while supporting livelihoods through safer and more predictable operations.

Follow Our WhatsApp Channel for all the News from Mashonaland Central – Bindura, Mbire, Guruve, Mount Darwin, Rushinga, Shamva, Mazowe & Muzarabani: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VacMUmW5fM5a666kb33A