THE nation’s insurance policies are as soon as once more within the highlight after greater than 5 000 artisanal miners and fortune seekers, together with foreigners, primarily of Chinese language origin, have descended on the previous Sandawana Mine in Mberengwa, Midlands province, in quest of lithium which is reportedly exported to international markets internationally.

Sandawana Mine is within the state-owned Zimbabwe Mining Improvement Company (ZMDC) portfolio and has been famed for producing emeralds and different valuable stones.

Lithium is a uncommon mineral whose manufacturing is at the moment happening in solely eight international locations, with 85% of the worldwide provide coming from Australia, Chile and China.

Zimbabwe is the world’s fifth largest lithium producer. Its lithium output has risen steadily in recent times, producing 1 200 metric tonnes of the steel in 2021.

Authorities is bullish on the quantum of the steel inside its borders with Mines minister Winston Chitando just lately telling the media that Zimbabwe has the potential to account for 20% of worldwide lithium demand when all identified lithium assets are exploited. Nevertheless, unscrupulous sellers have been siphoning the mineral via Zimbabwe’s porous borders amid stories that many of the lithium from Mberengwa is being shipped into South Africa with sellers manipulating the laxity on the Beitbridge border submit.

Unscrupulous sellers have, based on an investigation carried out by the Zimbabwe Impartial this week, been on the bottom in Mberengwa, transport out the dear mineral a lot to the unfairness of the state.

The mineral is reportedly being exported to international locations like South Africa with authorities reportedly additionally cashing in on the illicit and unregulated mining actions within the space.

The US dollar-seeking artisanal miners are incomes at most US$150 per tonne whereas investigations executed in Mberengwa and South Africa revealed that the “patrons” are incomes as a lot as US$800 once they resale the mineral.

The Impartial this week visited the mountains in Mberengwa the place greater than 5 000 artisanal miners have been camped within the final month, mining lithium ore whereas vans from South Africa are based mostly on the mining websites.

Mines and Mining Improvement deputy minister Well mannered Kambamura confirmed that the federal government was conscious of the developments.

“We’ve simply heard of what’s taking place in Mberengwa, however I’m visiting the place tomorrow (as we speak). We’ll make a press release after the go to tomorrow,” Kambamura mentioned in an interview yesterday.

On Wednesday police particulars visited the place and issued a four-day ultimatum for the miners to vacate the place.

The most recent growth has nevertheless attracted the eye of environmentalists and stress teams who’re frightened in regards to the involvement of corrupt authorities officers and foreigners within the pillaging of the nation’s assets.

Chatting with the Impartial, a villager revealed that the pillaging, which has been occurring for nearly a month, has shocked even authorities officers.

“This complete course of began a couple of month in the past and we’ve seen various Chinese language businesspeople coming right here. The artisanal miners get the stones from the mines that are loaded on vans and we all know that they’re transported to China,” a villager mentioned.

Different villagers additionally revealed that the majority Chinese language nationals had been claiming mines at Varichem and Gwamakudo believed to be wealthy with valuable and uncommon minerals.

“The previous miners used to get emerald and tantalite however we’ve simply found that we might get these minerals for export,” the villagers famous.

The Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) president Henrietta Rushwaya who visited the realm suggested miners to respect the legal guidelines of the land.

“We would like our individuals to profit from Zimbabwe’s pure assets, so we anticipate villagers to personal claims, however that must be executed in a correct method. We have to respect the legal guidelines of the land and we perceive there are financial hardships, however mining has procedures which should be adopted. Lawlessness within the mining sector is a factor of the previous,” Rushwaya mentioned.

In numerous interviews, environmentalists mentioned lithium required authorities intervention to guard the villagers who’ve been bearing the brunt of the newest developments.

Environmentalist and Reyna Belief govt director Sydney Chisi mentioned lithium was turning into a crucial mineral that might assist Zimbabwe in including worth to its minerals.

“Nevertheless, so long as we do not have the expertise and expertise switch and worth addition to our minerals, then international nationals will come and extract our minerals as uncooked. Zimbabwe as a rustic prone to local weather change will at all times purchase these merchandise at a excessive value as we proceed to battle so as to add worth to our minerals,” Chisi mentioned.

Nevertheless, Centre for Pure Assets Governance director Farai Maguwu mentioned the scenario in Mberengwa was susceptible to abuse by authorities and Zanu-PF officers making the most of the laxity of controls within the mining sector.

“I believe mining has turn out to be a significant distraction and the federal government is utilizing mining as a means of diverting individuals’s consideration from essential points. However that is coming with a giant value contemplating the haphazard method during which Zimbabwe’s mineral wealth is being accessed,” Maguwu mentioned.

He mentioned international syndicates are making the most of this confusion and have been milking the nation’s wealth for nothing.

“The entire world is transferring in the direction of lithium. It’s a transition mineral used for the motion to renewable power. So it is unhappy that we do not have coverage paperwork on lithium. There’s a predatory strategy by the federal government. And once you take a look at the casual method during which individuals are extracting the mineral, it means there’s going to be an environmental disaster. An environmental Armageddon will unfold and the federal government will come later once they realise that the deposits are massive like they did in Marange. Possibly they’re going to use the military, which is a drastic measure.

“Overally, Zimbabwe wants dialogue on mineral governance. The nation wants a pure useful resource constitution the place we’ve the federal government and the residents agreeing on how finest to control our minerals. Future generations will even must account for these assets that we’re giving freely for nothing,” Maguwu mentioned.

Over the course of this yr, President Emmerson Mnangagwa formally opened various lithium mining corporations however there hasn’t been a lot speak on beneficiation of the mineral.