![]() In addition, the Chimanimani region is home to a Zimbabwe national park that is described by the conservation group BirdLife International as “one of the richest ecological complexes in Zimbabwe.” The river also provides water for hundreds of settlements along the river in both countries. The Haroni River is a valuable resource not only for the Chimanimani region of Zimbabwe but also for neighboring Mozambique, as it provides fish and other foods to the people. “If illegal mining continues at such an alarming rate, Chiadzwa area will be left without a tree or even grass.”Įnvironment and Tourism Minister Francis Nhema went a step further, telling reporters, “If the illegal mining is not stopped, it could turn the whole country to rubble in the next few years.” “The cost of reclaiming this land is beyond our means,” he said. Panners use mercury and cyanide to separate gold from the ore, and then flush the toxins into the rivers.Ī visibly disturbed deputy environment and tourism minister, Andrew Langa, toured the devastated Chiadzwa diamond fields in the eastern Manicaland province last year. Miners cut and burn wood indiscriminately to fuel their makeshift camps. Rivers are filled with silt, harming ecosystems as well as farming, fishing, and drinking water. He said those that continue to mine in the area, a situation that also risks the spread of covid-19, would be encouraged to leave, though law enforcement could be drawn upon if necessary.This scene - already familiar in central and western Zimbabwe, where a 19th-century-style gold rush has been taking place since 1990s - has become even more common since 2006, when diamonds were discovered in the country’s eastern areas.ĭisplaced from farm work and spurred by Zimbabwe’s disastrous economy and an astronomical annual inflation rate of 231 million percent, hundreds of thousands of desperately poor people have ventured into illegal mining, leaving a trail of environmental destruction that is alarming farmers, environmentalists, and traditional leaders.Īll of Zimbabwe’s 10 provinces bear evidence of the damage. Meanwhile, the number of people mining the land had dwindled to less than 500, Pillay continued, though significant damage had already been done with an area of around 50 hectares covered in holes of up to one metre, posing a danger to cattle. ![]() People in the area had also raised concerns specifically around roads and water during the visit, which officials at the briefing said they would address. Like many areas in South Africa, high levels of unemployment and poverty have left communities living hand to mouth. The event had highlighted the socio-economic challenges faced by local people, he continued. “The value, if any, of the quartz crystals is yet to be established but it must be mentioned that the value of quartz crystals is very low compared to that of diamonds.” “The tests conducted conclusively revealed that the stones discovered in the area are not diamonds as some had hoped,” he said, adding they were in fact quartz crystals. Provincial executive council member for economic development and tourism, Ravi Pillay, told a media briefing on Sunday he had counted some 3,000 there during a visit to the site, where samples were taken to identify the stones. ![]() ![]() People from across South Africa travelled to KwaHlathi in the country’s eastern KwaZulu-Natal province where villagers had been digging since June 12 after a herder discovered the first stone in an open field and put out the word.
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