Women involved in artisanal and small-scale gold mining in Insiza South are poised to benefit from safer working conditions and expanded economic opportunities under the planetGOLD Zimbabwe project, which is promoting mercury-free gold recovery technologies to reduce health and environmental risks associated with gold extraction.

The initiative, which aims to reach 7,500 miners across 11 districts, is being hailed by the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development as a significant step towards advancing women’s economic empowerment while improving occupational safety in the mining sector.

Speaking during a planetGOLD awareness and sensitisation programme in Insiza South, District Development Officer in the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, Nhlanhla Magagula, said the initiative aligns with the objectives of the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), which seeks to broaden women’s participation in productive economic sectors.

“The thrust is on creating self-working spaces for our women in terms of economic development,” said Magagula.

“We are doing this in line with our Women Economic Empowerment Framework. The framework, among other focus areas, entails that women have got to be assisted with whatever means are available to break into capital-intensive economic activities such as mining.”

Magagula said the ministry has been actively mobilising women to participate in mining activities in the district and is now focusing on improving their safety and working conditions.

“We have managed to mobilise women to participate in mining activities in Insiza District and now our efforts are on improving the working conditions of the women,” she said.

The sensitisation programme centred on the dangers of mercury, a toxic chemical commonly used in artisanal and small-scale gold mining to extract gold from ore. Prolonged exposure to mercury can cause severe health complications, including damage to the nervous system, respiratory illnesses, memory loss and developmental disorders in children.

Women and children are among the groups most vulnerable to mercury poisoning. Health experts warn that exposure during pregnancy can affect fetal development and lead to lifelong health complications.

Magagula said the training came at an important time, given the number of women engaged in both formal and informal mining activities.

“The sensitisation on mercury which took place today is one of the issues that has come at the right time,” she said.

“We expect the information shared here to be disseminated right down to the woman who is participating in gold panning and using mercury in a dangerous way.”

The planetGOLD Zimbabwe project is currently conducting baseline assessments in mining communities to evaluate existing gold processing methods and establish benchmarks for measuring progress as mercury-free technologies are introduced.

Chief Metallurgist in the Department of Metallurgy under the Ministry of Mines, Reginald Chidawanyika said the project is exploring gold recovery technologies that eliminate mercury use without compromising production efficiency.

“The purpose of collecting the baseline data is so that we can benchmark where our planetGOLD project started and our progress as we move forward,” said Chidawanyika.

“We hope with the efforts being made, we will come up with mercury-free gold technology that is safe for our miners but at the same time very efficient in extraction.”

He noted that women face heightened exposure risks because they are often involved in panning activities where mercury is frequently used.

“Women are also very vulnerable as most of our women in small-scale mining do the panning part where mercury is used,” he said.

“The introduction of this technology will make sure that our women in the mining sector are no longer exposed to mercury, which is very harmful even to unborn children for those women who may be pregnant.”

planetGOLD Zimbabwe has set a target of ensuring that women comprise at least 30 percent of the 7,500 miners expected to benefit from the programme.

Magagula said the planned mercury-free gold processing plant could help create a more inclusive mining sector while improving safety for both women and men.

“With the promise of a mercury-free gold-catching plant, we are sure this is going to strike a gender balance because the plant is not only going to be used by women miners, but men are also going to benefit,” she said.

She called on local authorities, mining stakeholders and community leaders to support the initiative and help drive awareness of safer mining practices.

“We are really grateful and we welcome this programme. We urge all stakeholders to support the effort that is being brought by planetGOLD,” said Magagula.

As Zimbabwe intensifies efforts to formalise artisanal and small-scale gold mining, the planetGOLD initiative is expected to play a critical role in reducing mercury use, protecting vulnerable communities and creating sustainable economic opportunities for women in mining districts.