‘Relocation of families for mining project begins in Zimbabwe’ 8 February 2023

Officials from Zimbabwe's Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development began today the relocation process of families originally settled in areas of a lithium mining project.The initial phase of the process involves the relocation of 26 families, starting with five prioritized households, who are located near Premier African Minerals’ blast pits in Fort Rixon. This process, as explained by the Ministry, paves the way for the start of mineral extraction.

In this regard, the mining company expressed its commitment to ensure better livelihoods in the new villages by building key infrastructure such as schools, paving access roads, constructing wells and water tanks, and paying school fees for vulnerable children. A huge reservoir is also being built, and the surplus water is being used for an irrigation scheme, which will contribute to food security in the area.

The Fort Rixon lithium and tantalum project is the largest of its kind in Zimbabwe, covering an area of approximately 3.5 square kilometres. Zimbabwe envisions a $12 billion mining industry by 2023, a stepping stone of the government’s Vision 2030, to achieve an upper-middle income economy by 2030. President Emmerson Mnangagwa recently argued that it is imperative for the country to focus on research and development to transform minerals into semi-finished and finished products through the development of domestic industry.