The Ministry of Mines and Mining Development has advised artisanal miners to suspend operations during the rainy season because of the extreme risks of flooding, and collapsing shafts and tunnels.
Speaking at a media conference on mining precautions during the rainy season held in Harare on Monday, 15 January, Mines and Mining Development Minister Zhemu Soda also urged large-scale mining companies to observe safe mining methods and be compliant with all governance requirements. Said Soda (via The Herald):
The Ministry of Mines and Mining Development would like to advise all miners, large-scale, medium-scale, and small-scale in particular artisanal miners across the country that the onset of the rainy season brings with it grave dangers and risks that are a threat to lives and potential loss of equipment and damage to mines.
During the rainy season we experience heightened risks in the form of flooding, drowning, weakened ground leading to fall and ground subsidence as well as slime dam breaches which unfortunately lead to loss of lives.
As a precaution, small-scale artisanal miners are advised to completely stop mining altogether and resume when the rains stop.
Furthermore, miners should cooperate with instructions given by Government authorities to ensure safe mining operations.
The Ministry of Mines and Mining Development inspectors shall be out in full force to ensure that there is compliance with all governance requirements failure of which punishment will be imposed.
Miners who received awareness training during the safety, health and environment campaigns by our Mining Engineering Department are reminded to put into practice what they learned.
They should also share good mining practices with their colleagues in the sector to save lives.
Soda said medium and large-scale miners can continue with their operations during the rainy season but they should observe safe mining methods. He said:
Avoid working or mining along rivers or waterways as shafts are likely to flood from rain upstream posing risks of drowning.
Avoid digging and blasting in old mine workings because soils easily get saturated and the ground becomes unstable and is bound to collapse at any time burying our miners alive. Pillar robbing underground should be avoided at all costs;
Avoid sinking shafts in low-lying areas as there is a danger of mines being flooded by free-flowing waters during the rains; Miners should take measures to divert free-flowing water from flooding workings.
The suspension of all small-scale mining operations in the country follows the recent collapse of a mineshaft at Metallon Gold’s Redwing Mine in the Tsapauta area of Penhalonga which trapped 15 artisanal miners.
The miners dug their way out of the collapsed mine and eventually emerged onto the surface after four days in the belly of the earth.
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