HARARE, April 16 (Reuters) – Zimbabwe has ordered more than
100 mining and prospecting companies to resubmit applications to
exclusively explore for minerals, providing shareholder details
and proof of funding.
The order follows the ministry of mines’ decision in January
to hike pre-exploration fees for most minerals by as much as
8,000 percent in a move the ministry said was meant to curb the
speculative holding of mine titles.
On Monday, the ministry said in a public notice it now
wanted 109 companies, including the largest gold miner Metallon
Gold, the local operation of South African miner Metallon
Corporation, and individuals to make fresh applications.
The companies should show they have capacity to carry out
exploration work.
None of the major miners like Rio Tinto, Anglo
American Platinum and Impala Platinum, which
have operations in Zimbabwe, were affected by the directive.
(Reporting by MacDonald Dzirutwe, editing by Ed Stoddard)
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