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Gold panners encouraged to get mining licenses
Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights)
July 20, 2010

ZimRights held a meeting in Mashonaland Central, encouraging gold panners to acquire licenses to avoid being short changed for their services in the mining industry.

The meeting was held at Goora Shopping Centre near Madziva. Illegal gold panning is prominent in this area as well as in the nearby Chini Mine. Most Goora villagers have become vulnerable as a result of the mining activities surrounding them. The abundance of raw material in the area has led to an increase in the number of high school drop outs and escalating prostitution cases.

Goora miners were encouraged to apply for mining licenses to comply with the law of Zimbabwe. Their failure to produce mining licenses restricts their sales to the black market. The disadvantage with the black market is that there is no set value for the mineral hence the panners are at the mercy of buyers. They are being forced to sell their hard earned gold for low prices by the buyers who will in turn re-sell them at much higher prices. Mining license holders are using their licenses to take away mining deposits from the illegal miners.

A mining license also serves to protect the gold panners from unscrupulous police who harass and loot the proceeds of the panners. Thus a license ensures one of legal assistance. Another risk of not having a license noted is lack of expertise. When registering for a license there are prerequisites and a license enables one to set up appropriate safety material in the certified area of mining thereby reducing safety risks.

ZimRights encourages all gold panners to acquire licenses, through government assistance. Government can also assist in skill capacitating of the panners and introduce government mobile buyers to do away with bogus buyers. Government must ensure that locals benefit from the natural resources, in the form of proceeds to develop schools in the area and the roads and other infrastructure, and providing education to residents on mining skills.

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