The government plans to have all artisanal miners registered as part of efforts to formalise their operations, curb illegal gold dealing and protect the environment.

Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Governor John Mangudya on Monday said a statutory instrument on the requirements for registration was being crafted and would be gazetted soon. He said:

We want to register for the sake of traceability and knowing who you are and where you are from.

Mangudya made the remarks when he appeared before the National Assembly Portfolio Committee on Environment, Climate and Tourism.

Under the envisaged registration system, the miners’ biometric details would be captured and the miner would be issued with a registration number.

Registered miners would also undergo training on environmentally friendly mining methods and land reclamation.

It is estimated that there are between 500 000 and 1.5 million artisanal and small-scale miners, including farmers who do a little gold panning in the offseason, and only 16 per cent are registered.

More: The Herald