Harare – The Zimbabwean government has unveiled a $23.7 million USD project aimed at reducing mercury levels in mining regions throughout the country.

Mercury is a toxic element utilized by the artisanal gold mining sector to extract gold from mineral resources.

This hazardous substance poses risks to the lungs, skin, and eyes.

Furthermore, mercury can spread extensively from its origin, leading to the contamination of air, water, and soil.

It also bioaccumulates as it ascends the food chain.

In Zimbabwe, over 300,000 people are involved in artisanal gold mining, which represents more than 40 percent of the nation’s mineral exports.

Around 96 percent of artisanal gold mining operations in the country employ mercury, with numerous miners forgoing protective equipment and facing exposure to dangerous vapors.

Zimbabwe’s artisanal gold mining activities result in the annual release of over 24 tonnes of mercury.

The planetGOLD Zimbabwe initiative, a five-year program, is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and executed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

This project is overseen by the non-profit organization IMPACT, in close collaboration with the Zimbabwean government.

The goal of the initiative is to partner with local communities to reduce mercury usage in artisanal and small-scale gold mining, the primary source of anthropogenic mercury emissions, while enhancing the health and welfare of mining populations.

This Zimbabwe initiative is part of a larger global program encompassing 25 countries.

The planetGOLD Zimbabwe initiative aims to support 7,500 individuals across 11 districts in the country, targeting a decrease in mercury use by 4.85 tonnes.

In addition to reducing mercury consumption, the project seeks to assist in formalizing the artisanal gold mining industry and improving miners’ access to financial services.

This initiative will encourage the adoption of mercury-free technologies and promote more sustainable and traceable gold supply chains.

The project was officially launched on November 14 in Harare through an Inception Workshop that brought together stakeholders to discuss the support provided by planetGOLD Zimbabwe for a more accountable artisanal gold sector.

In his keynote address, Edward Samuriwo, Acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Climate, and Wildlife, emphasized the project’s significance in tackling the issues associated with mercury use in Zimbabwe’s gold mining sector.

Samuriwo reaffirmed Zimbabwe’s dedication to the Minamata Convention on Mercury, stressing the essential role of the planetGOLD initiative in advancing the country’s objectives to eliminate mercury use in artisanal gold mining through the National Action Plan.

Zimbabwe ratified the Minamata Convention on Mercury in 2021. The National Action Plan sets forth the country’s commitment to fostering collaboration among all stakeholders, including governmental agencies and supply chain participants, to improve the health and safety of communities engaged in artisanal gold mining.

“The launch of the planetGOLD project represents Zimbabwe’s transition towards more responsible artisanal gold mining,” stated Yann Lebrat, Deputy Executive Director of IMPACT.

“We are excited to collaborate with all stakeholders to implement sustainable changes in the sector.”

For more information about planetGOLD Zimbabwe, please visit: http://apo-opa.co/4gEiUY8