HARARE – A Local mining company Victory Mining, a subsidiary of Drawcard construction, and two other affiliates perceived to be of Chinese origin, have been conducting illegal lithium exploration in the Chishawasha area about 2 kilometers from Pangaula Farm on the outskirts of Harare, despite being handed an order by EMA to cease all operations.

Investigations unearthed that Victory Mining has two claims for lithium exploration in the 90-hectare wetland site and has been operating since November last year.

Victory Mining is in possession of a mining registration certificate from the Ministry of Mines – 069143 – dated May 16 2022, but does not have an Environmental Impact Assessment certificate to legalise its explorations.

Locals in November alerted EMA about the miner’s operations and this was followed by the agency ordering the company to cease its activities.

However, the company has continued pursuing its operations despite being handed the order.

Residents of Chishawasha, during interviews with ZimLive, said Victory Mining’s illegal lithium exploration was negatively impacting their livelihoods and other socioeconomic activities.

“Victory Mining’s unsustainable mining operations in the wetland have resulted in massive deforestation, land degradation and the contamination of headwater leading to Gletwyn Dam, a source of water for 2000 households.

“Our indigenous Mazhanje trees (Uapaca kirkiana) which local residents pick as a source of food and income have also not been spared.

“To make matters worse, our livestock is at risk of falling from the open pits dug by the mining company.

“There are also no guarantees of the safety of residents from the fallout of lithium whose houses are in the environs where the lithium exploration is taking place,” said a resident who preferred anonymity for fear of victimization.

During a visit by ZimLive, some company equipment was observed on the site.

These included a bulldozer, two excavators, and one front-end loader.

The equipment was being used to conduct lithium exploration in claim B, while no explorations had been conducted in claim A.

The company activities, it was further observed, a huge 8 mitre mine dump was also created after trees were cleared while the mining company’s trenching and pilling operations affected half a hectare.

Harare North MP Rusty Markham, in whose constituency the lithium exploration is taking place, lamented that jurisdiction fell under the ministry of mines, which he accused of being complicit in illegal mining operations.

“As the MP, and a lot of Harare MPs, we are running into trouble here because the people who are supposed to authorise and organise this and stop it are the ministry of mines who do nothing about it.

“Secondly, EMA as you can see has done something but when it comes to physical enforcement, nothing has happened.

“My reading of it is that there is political cover at the top authorising the illegal mining of lithium,” said Markham.

In an interview, Harare Wetlands Trust (HWT) programmes manager Celestino Chari condemned Victory Mining’s illegal mining operations in a wetland and urged EMA to take additional measures within its jurisdiction to cease operations.

“Our position is that we encourage EMA not to just not issue fines but to create a conducive environment for the restoration of wetlands.

“Fines are short term but education and practical implementation is encouraged.

“The environmental fund as provided in the EMA Act and the devolution funds should be directed towards community education and working for wetlands strategies,” he said.

Amkela Sidange, EMA communications and publicity manager, despite facing public criticism from stakeholders, assured that the agency was doing everything in its power to stop Victory Mining’s illegal lithium explorations and promised that legal action would follow if the mining company did not comply with the order to stop its activities.

“The Agency issued the mine with an environmental protection order for implementing a prescribed activity without an Environmental Impact Assessment and thus ordered it to cease operations forthwith pending applying for all necessary licenses with the agency.

“Ordinarily, at the lapse of the given order compliance date, if there is no compliance, a docket is opened.

“Thus, the Agency is doing everything within its jurisdiction as empowered by the regulations it enforces to ensure the project in question complies,” she said.