Zimbabwe is moving to enforce one of its most stringent regulatory regimes for the mining sector, with companies now at risk of losing their licences if they fail to meet mandatory environmental standards.
The government has launched Part 2 of the Responsible Mining Initiative, a strengthened enforcement phase announced by Mines and Mining Development Minister Winston Chitando. The updated framework introduces legally binding penalties for operators who neglect land rehabilitation, violate ecological regulations, or leave environmental damage unaddressed.
Chitando stressed that the new measures are meant to bring long-overdue accountability to the sector, noting that the initiative “will tackle issues relating to environmental harm, which will include the potential loss of mining titles.”
The crackdown follows rising public anger over pollution, deforestation, and unsafe mining practices—issues that have long affected communities across regions such as Manicaland, Midlands, and Mashonaland West. Despite being Zimbabwe’s top export earner—accounting for over 60% of foreign currency through gold, platinum, and lithium—mining has often operated with weak oversight. This has resulted in contaminated waterways, abandoned pits, and widespread land degradation by both small-scale and large industrial miners.
Communities and civil society groups have repeatedly highlighted toxic waste leaks, unsafe conditions, and a lack of accountability, with some operators accused of acting with political protection and impunity.
Under the new rules, government will move away from voluntary compliance to strict, monitored enforcement. The initiative will strengthen collaboration with the Environmental Management Agency and require all mining companies to submit detailed rehabilitation and mine-closure plans before extraction begins.
Authorities say the reforms aim to safeguard ecosystems and ensure that mining supports sustainable national development—rather than contributing to long-term environmental harm.
