EMA fines Norton gold mine ZWL$ 500 000 over EIA l...

EMA fines Norton gold mine ZWL$ 500 000 over EIA license

World's 10 Largest Gold Mines by Production | INN

Zim Now Writer

The Environmental Management Agency has smacked gold mining firm, Jannarch 17 Gold Mining and Milling, with a ZWL$500 000 fine for operating a gold mine without an Environmental Impact Assessment licence.

The mine is located in the Kent Estates in Norton, Mashonaland West Province.

It has reportedly been operating without a hazardous substances licence in contravention of Section 10 of Statutory Instrument 268 of 2018.

The mine reportedly once made efforts to apply for an EIA certificate from the Agency and was not granted pending request by the environmental regulator for further information, particularly on consultation of surrounding farmers since the mine is located in a farming area.

EMA Environmental Education and Publicity Manager, Amkela Sidange, said the mine failed to exercise due caution in the management of hazardous substances in contravention to Section 30(3)(a) of the same regulation, leading to a discharge of effluent into the environment from the vat- leach tanks.

“The Agency would want to remind miners that mining is a prescribed project that should be implemented only under an Environmental Impact Assessment licence as enshrined in Section 97 of the Environmental Management Act (CAP 20:27). The Agency will not hesitate to penalise all those found violating this standing regulation.”

“The Agency is ceased with the problem at hand thus inspections are also being carried out across the country in order to weed out all those implementing mining and other prescribed projects, as well as certain specified projects without requisite permits,” Sidange said.

EMA has urged project developers to guard against complacency and safeguard safety of the public and integrity of the environment.