Caledonia Mining Corporation’s Blanket Mine has paid US$2.5 million to the Gwanda Community Share Ownership Trust, taking cumulative distributions to the community body to more than US$18.9 million since its establishment.
The latest payment adds to a series of dividend distributions linked to the trust’s 10% shareholding in the mine, with proceeds channelled towards community development initiatives in Gwanda, Matabeleland South.
“We believe strong partnerships between mining operations and host communities are fundamental to creating lasting benefits in Zimbabwe,” Caledonia said in announcing the payment.
The latest distribution follows US$5.5 million paid to the trust in 2025, up from US$1.425 million in 2024 and US$550,000 in 2023, according to the company’s published financial disclosures.
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The increase in recent payments has made mining dividends a significant source of funding for community projects, although the amounts distributed vary depending on the mine’s financial performance.
The trust has supported initiatives in education, healthcare, water access and livelihoods. Projects reported in Gwanda include school infrastructure improvements, a waiting mothers’ shelter at Sitezi Clinic, solar power installations and the rehabilitation of Gungwe Dam, which supplies water to more than 3,000 households, according to Mining Zimbabwe.
Blanket Mine’s community ownership arrangement dates back to 2012, when a 10% stake was transferred to the trust as part of the mine’s indigenisation framework. The employee trust separately holds a 10% stake on behalf of workers.
Caledonia’s 2025 annual report also records US$31.9 million spent on local suppliers, while payments to the Zimbabwean Government, excluding royalties, reached US$49.772 million. Royalty payments totalled US$12.928 million that year.
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