Zimbabwe’s artisanal and small-scale mining sector is positioning itself for record gold deliveries in 2026 following the rollout of a nationwide cluster mining model aimed at accelerating mechanisation, improving recovery rates and deepening formalisation.
The Zimbabwe Miners Federation says the new approach, which will establish shared processing and service centres in every province, is expected to significantly boost efficiency among artisanal miners, who now account for the bulk of the country’s gold production.
The initiative was announced on Thursday during the ZMF Strategic Meeting in Harare, as the sector set its sights on delivering more than 45 tonnes of gold to Fidelity Gold Refinery next year.
ZMF treasurer Prosper Shumba said the federation will spearhead the installation of cluster processing plants to give miners access to modern equipment, coordinated ore processing and improved financing opportunities.
“We are going to come up with cluster mining and processing plants that we will put in every province,” Shumba said. “This will capacitate artisanal miners to fund their activities, process their ore efficiently and deliver gold directly to the formal market.”
The cluster model comes at a time when small-scale miners have firmly established themselves as the backbone of Zimbabwe’s gold industry. In 2025, the country delivered 46.7 tonnes of gold to FGR, with artisanal and small-scale miners contributing 34.9 tonnes—about 75 percent of total output—while large-scale producers accounted for 11.8 tonnes.
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ZMF president Henrietta Rushwaya said the federation is confident the new production framework will enable the sector to surpass previous performance levels.
“In 2025, we contributed between 70 and 75 percent of Zimbabwe’s gold output,” Rushwaya said. “In 2026, we are targeting nothing less than 45 tonnes from small-scale miners alone. Combined with large-scale production, we believe national output can reach 55 tonnes.”
According to the ZMF’s 2026 roadmap, the cluster mining approach is central to efforts to scale production, improve gold recovery and strengthen aggregation of output for delivery to Fidelity.
To support mechanisation and expansion, the federation is also engaging international investors. Rushwaya said discussions are ongoing with a Saudi Arabian delegation currently in Zimbabwe, following an investment mission to Saudi Arabia late last year.
“The Saudi group is in the country to explore how they can assist us to increase gold and chrome production, which will enhance our contribution to national GDP,” she said.
At the same time, ZMF is advancing formalisation through the rollout of the ZMF–FGR Gold Card, a digital registration system designed to improve traceability of gold from mine to refinery in line with global responsible sourcing standards.
Federation officials said the combination of cluster mining infrastructure, improved access to capital, modern processing technology and tighter formalisation is expected to sustain growth in gold deliveries and reinforce the sector’s position as Zimbabwe’s leading foreign currency earner.
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