By Wallace Mawire
planetGOLD Zimbabwe will hold its Annual Stakeholders Conference on 28 and 29 October 2026 in Harare, Zimbabwe bringing together government, the private sector, financial institutions, the donor community, miners and development partners to chart the way forward for a mercury-free artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector.
The conference will be held under the Theme: Unlocking Responsible Gold Mining in Zimbabwe: Formalization, Financing, and Technology for a Mercury-Free ASGM Sector
The conference will also provide a platform for the stakeholders to share findings, tools and lessons from the project’s policy, technology and financial interventions, updates on progress across all project components; exchange of lessons, experiences and knowledge products and participation in cross-sector dialogue and networking, with a particular focus on women miners and youth.
The five-year planetGOLD Zimbabwe project is supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), led by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and executed by IMPACT, in partnership with the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development and the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife. It aims to reduce mercury use in ASGM, the world’s largest source of human-caused mercury emissions, while improving the health and lives of mining communities.
The project plans to support 7,500 men and women at 11 mine sites, reduce mercury use by 4.85 tonnes over five years, and improve the management of about 76,000 hectares of landscape.
The conference will also witness the launch of new publication on Zimbabwe’s Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM) supply chain.
The planetGOLD Zimbabwe project is part of the global planetGOLD program currently implemented in 25 countries. The project works together with local communities to reduce the use of mercury in artisanal and small-scale gold mining, the world’s largest source of anthropogenic emissions of mercury pollution, while improving the health and lives of local mining communities.
In Zimbabwe, the project aims to support 7,500 men and women at 11 districts, including Filabusi, Gwanda, Zvishavane, Esigodini, Bubi, Kadoma, Chegutu, Bindura, Mazowe, and Shamva.
It will also reduce mercury use by 4.85 tonnes. The five-year project launched in 2024, with the conference marking the project’s first year as a moment for collaboration and dialogue.
The project is supported by the Global Environment Facility, led by the UN Environment Programme, and executed by IMPACT, in close coordination with the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife and the Environment Management Agency.
The planetGOLD Zimbabwe project aims to reduce the use of mercury in artisanal and small-scale mining sector by supporting formalization and increasing access to finance.
This will lead to adoption of mercury-free technologies and allow access to more responsible and traceable gold supply chains.
The organization said while the project is focused on reducing mercury use, it also seeks to address gender equality, women’s empowerment, access to finance, legalization and formalization of the sector, and access to international markets.
They said the artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector is a vital livelihood for many rural communities, as well as an important economic driver for the country.
It said iIn Zimbabwe, over 300,000 people work in artisanal gold mining, with the sectorcontributing to more than 40% of the country’s mineral exports.
A 2019 government report estimated that 96% of artisanal gold mine sites use mercury, resulting in more than 24 tonnes of mercury being released annually. Mercury is widely used as miners lack access to alternatives.
The planetGOLD Zimbabwe project is calling for strengthened mercury reduction measures as part of the Mines and Minerals Bill 2025, in line with Zimbabwe’s international commitments.
The artisanal gold mining sector is a critical livelihood source for some of the most vulnerable people in the country who have few or no alternatives.
They added that if properly supported, the sector has significant potential to contribute to Zimbabwe’s social and economic development.
The planetGOLD Zimbabwe project also recognizes that due to limited economic opportunities or a lack of awareness about the dangers, many artisanal and small-scale mining operations use the highly toxic chemical mercury to extract their gold, transformative change in the artisanal gold mining sector is a collaborative effort.
They said by working together, stakeholders can ensure mining policies and practices for the sector are inclusive and rooted in the realities of miners.
They said while the sector is associated with significant problems, by highlighting promising solutions to the environmental and social challenges in the sector, the media can encourage fellow citizens, investors, and the government to rally around miners, helping to inspire a transition toward more responsible gold mining practices that are good for people and the planet.