Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe-(RBZ-) owned gold migeneral arrangement stone crusher plantne Globe & Phoenix has been closed down – by government – for violating the Environmental Management Act.
The mine, owned by the central bank’s sub- sidiary, Carslone, was ordered closed by Environment and Tourism Deputy Minister Andrew Langa after it was found that it had no an environment-impact assessment (EIA) report.
Zimbabwe’s Environmental Management Act was amended recently tochute construction equipment price include clauses that make it illegal for any mining house to undertake operations without an EIA report.
Thecement ratio for rock walls construction government decided to do this following widespread cases of land degradation.
Langa says: “The mine did not have an impact assessment report. “There were also reports that panners had invaded some parts of the mine and, as a ministry, we ordered its closure. In fact, I personally ordered that operations must be stopped.”
He adds that some of the mine’s tunnels now run below Globe & Phoenix School, thus posing a risk to the school.
Recently, small-scale miners told the parliamentary portfolio committee on the environment and mines that Carslone was involved in illegal mining activities.
Some of the operations of Carslone are reportedly shrouded in mystery. Its exist- ence first came to light after the small-scale miners complained to the parliamentary committee. Even then, the miners did not know the identity of the owner of the company. A director in the Ministry for Mines, Titus Nyatanga, who attended the hearing, revealed to MPs that the company was, in fact, owned by the central bank.
Nyatanga promised Members of Parliament that government would investigate any allega- tions of wrong-doing levelled against the company. Small-scale miners also said Carslone had become “a law unto itself in Kwekwe”, with police in that area taking draconian directives from the company, without question.
Claims against Carslone saw the parli- amentary committee summoning Reserve Bank executive Mirirai Chiremba to respond to allegations of illegal conduct. Chiremba asked for an order gagging the media from reporting on his testimony, and it was granted.
Early this month, the RBZ took over control of another mine in Mashonaland West, Golden Kopje. The mine was previously owned by businessperson Donald Chapfika, a brother of Deputy Finance Minister David Chapfika.
The Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation, which had initially planned to take over the gold mine, will now come in as a technical partner. The purchase by the central bank is expected to see the resuscitation of mining activities at the Chinhoyi-based mine and the creation of employment for the surrounding community.