By Business Reporter
In his address at the official opening of the Mine Entra in Bulawayo yesterday, President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa emphasised the need for embracing technology in the sector as means to foster exploration of complex deposits, boost efficiency, enable value addition and beneficiation as protect the environment among other positives.
Mnangagwa emphasised technology’s role in availing access to hard to reach minerals, ile reducing waste while enhancing efficiency, while calling for implementation of value addition and beneficiation.
“These technologies ensure the exploitation of new and more complex mineral deposits, increase productivity and precision in exploration and extraction processes.” Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa said.
Furthermore, “This allows for remote operations, reduced waste, improved equipment utilisation as well as lower maintenance costs, among others. The urgent challenge, therefore, is not only to produce more but to also produce better.”
More so, “To ensure long-term viability, innovation has a critical role in the mining sector and must be scaled up. The innovation and technology nexus should result in not only improved efficiencies, reduced costs and adherence to the concerns of communities and regulatory authorities but the accelerated industrialisation and modernisation of our country.”
More over, “Bold decisions must be taken within the sector for the requisite transformative upward and downstream linkages to speed up the expansion of mineral beneficiation and value addition.” Mnangagwa highlighted.
Minerals where viewed as critical components in development of technological instruments while calling for cross pectoral integration of the industry to not only best serve industry communities they exist in.
“Minerals, from rare earth elements to gold, platinum and lithium, are the building blocks of modern societies, with micro components of smartphones and larger modern materials required for electric vehicle manufacturing and renewable energy systems, all dependent on the mining sector.” Mnangagwa elaborated Furthermore,
“In this regard, mining houses are challenged to strengthen synergies with suppliers, inclusive of institutions of higher learning, for the development of technological solutions, methods, and techniques in mining projects and operations. This will allow for symbiotic relationships with mining suppliers who have intensive local knowledge and capable of providing customised solutions for mining entities.”Mnangagwa highlighted.
The benefits of mining where called on to extend beyond mere extractive processes and positively impact environmental protection and advance sustainability of ecosystems.
“We have a duty to protect our environment for both present and future generations. Hence, mining houses and other stakeholders have the obligation to commit to strict adherence to environmental regulations while maintaining the social licence to operate.” Mnangagwa highlighted.
This year the Expo is running under the theme, “Unearthing Success: The Mining Value Chains, Innovation and Industrialisation Nexus”, and “resonates with my Government’s ongoing policy thrust of mineral value addition and beneficiation, riding on increased local capacity around science, technology and innovation.” Mnangagwa also emphasised.