ZIMBABWE BANS FOREIGNERS FROM SMALL-SCALE MINING
Zimbabwe has slammed the door on foreign involvement in small-scale gold mining in a dramatic policy shift aimed at giving locals full control of the lucrative sector.
Mines Minister Polite Kambamura announced that, with immediate effect, only Zimbabwean citizens and fully locally-owned companies will be allowed to operate in small-scale gold mining. Foreign investors already active in the sector have been ordered to either transition into large-scale mining operations or completely exit by January 2027.
Government officials say the tough new measures are designed to protect jobs for ordinary Zimbabweans, increase national earnings from gold production, and stop profits from flowing out of the country. Authorities also claim the clampdown will help tackle environmental destruction, illegal mining activities, and unsafe operations blamed on some small-scale miners.
The decision is expected to send shockwaves through the mining industry, with analysts predicting fierce debate over its impact on investment and gold output.