After nearly a decade of delays and legislative setbacks, Zimbabwe has officially gazetted the Mines and Minerals Bill (H.B. 1, 2025), marking a major step in the long-overdue process to modernise the country’s mining laws.
The Bill was published in the Government Gazette on 25th June 2025, under General Notice 1243A, by Clerk of Parliament Kennedy Chokuda, in accordance with Standing Order No. 142(1) of the National Assembly.
The new legislation aims to repeal and replace the outdated Mines and Minerals Act (Chapter 21:05) of 1961, an archaic colonial-era law that has long been criticised for creating legal loopholes and favouring entrenched mining interests at the expense of communities and sustainable development.
Originally drafted in 2015, the Bill has gone through multiple revisions. In 2018, President Emmerson Mnangagwa declined to sign an earlier version, citing concerns over sections that infringed on property rights.
Since then, successive drafts have been tabled, debated, and shelved, often lapsing in Parliament or failing to secure Presidential assent.
Now, the redrafted Bill will be formally introduced in Parliament, which is sitting until October 2025. If passed, it will usher in wide-ranging reforms across the mining sector.
The Bill proposes the establishment of a Mining Cadastre Register to document and manage all mining rights in the country. It introduces three main types of mining titles: claims or blocks, mining leases, and special grants.
A key reform in the Bill is the enforcement of a stricter “use it or lose it” principle. This measure is intended to curb the speculative hoarding of mining claims by requiring active development rather than simply paying annual fees to retain rights.
To promote local participation, the Bill preserves small-scale mining exclusively for Zimbabweans. Only Zimbabwean citizens, permanent residents, or companies wholly owned by them will be allowed to hold prospecting rights.
The Bill also gives the Government power to declare certain minerals, such as rare earth elements, as “strategic minerals.”
Mining such minerals will require a minimum investment of US$1 million and must be done through a joint venture with the State.
For large-scale mining operations, the Bill maintains the requirement for Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and introduces civil penalties for non-compliance.
Large-scale miners will also be required to obtain a Social Responsibility Certificate issued by a recognised civil society organisation, ensuring community engagement and accountability.
To resolve long-standing conflicts between miners and farmers, the Bill prohibits mining within 450 metres of homes, cultivated land, or plots smaller than 100 hectares. This provision aligns with existing environmental and land laws.
Landholders who lose access to their land due to mining activities may be entitled to compensation from the Mining Industry Environmental Protection Fund (MIEPF), a mechanism designed to ensure fairness and environmental responsibility.
