MUTARE– An investor at the struggling Metallon Gold concern, Redwing Mine says it will commence full mechanized gold production following the signing of a seven year lease while allaying community concerns over environmental degradation.
Redwing Mine, operating in Penhalonga signed the seven year lease with Prime Royal Investments Africa, for full scale open cast gold mining following years of dormancy under care and management.
Prime Royal management recently addressed Penhalonga residents and community stakeholders who had concerns over its operational model amid fears of re-emergence of illegal miners who have been rampantly destroying the pristine environs.
Chairman, Stanley Motto said Prime Royal deserves to get the necessary social license from the community as it has prioritized engagement, to show dedication to sustainability in compliance to the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) process.
He said as a responsible corporate citizen Prime Royal working model will minimize damage, mitigate environment harm and promote sustainable rehabilitation, reclamation and mine closure.
“We are complying with regulations as per the Mines and Mineral Act and the Environmental Management Act which obliges us to follow due process. This follows successful exploration activities in the past year, which indicate viable economic exploitation of gold deposits on our leased claim
“It should be noted that from the commencement of operations we have placed the community at the centre of our activities, extending an opportunity to all who were will to partner us.
“As Prime Royal we secured a seven year lease extension and our focus is on production and compliance and we will meet our statutory obligations,” said Motto.
Penhalonga Residents Trust, chairman Weston Makoni said the community should be protected from the negative impacts of mining, while also actively involved in the operations through employment or value chains.
He said the legacy of Redwing Mine has been a destroyed environment, lack of respect for socio and economic rights.
“As the community we have participated in the EIA process by Prime Royal and raised our concerns over lack of employment, lack of environmental protection of our land. Mining has only lefty a legacy of uncovered pits, people are inhaling dust on a daily basis and these are the issues that the community is concerned about and should be addressed,” he said.
Centre for Research and Development (CRD) director, James Mupfumi said the concerns of the community should be addressed before mining commences onsite as there are deliberate concerns for the environment.
He alleged that government was fronting and protecting connected entities in the mining sector for self-serving interests at the expense of human security and environmental sustainability.
“CRD urges Redwing to invite potential investors with capacity to resuscitate its underground mining operations and desist from inviting dubious entities in undertaking high risk mining operations that are opaque and environmentally unsustainable.
“Increased mineral smuggling by political elites in government has seen government protecting opaque mining practices in Zimbabwe,” he said.
