- Mining leader says results are key to mercury-free technology adoption.
- Artisanal miners want better gold recovery than mercury-based methods.
- Affordability, simplicity and spare-parts availability remain critical.
- Trust in new technology develops through consistent field performance.
ARTISANAL and small-scale gold miners will only adopt mercury-free processing technologies if they deliver better gold recovery, are affordable to operate and have a proven track record in the field, a mining representative said on Wednesday.
Chiedza Chipangura, a member of the International Council for Small Scale Miners and a miner herself, said confidence in new technology is built through practical results rather than awareness campaigns or demonstrations.
“Confidence does not come from a brochure, it does not come from discussions, it just comes from results,” Chipangura said.
She said miners are more likely to embrace new processing methods when they see neighbouring operations successfully using them under similar conditions.
The comments come as Zimbabwe and other gold-producing countries seek to reduce mercury use in artisanal and small-scale mining, which has long been associated with environmental and health risks.
Chipangura said accessibility, affordability and ease of use were among the most important factors influencing adoption.
Artisanal miners would be willing to switch to mercury-free technologies if they consistently improved gold recovery, she said.
“As long as the technology pays me more than what I’ve been getting from mercury, why not adopt?” Chipangura said.
She added that many miners remain attracted to gold because of its profitability and ready market despite the challenges associated with extracting the metal.
Equipment suppliers and development partners should prioritise technologies that are practical, reliable and supported by readily available spare parts, she said.
According to Chipangura, some technologies have struggled to gain acceptance because they were too complicated or lacked transparency for miners accustomed to seeing and handling gold during processing.
“Make it simple and we simply adopt,” she said.
She warned against expecting immediate uptake of new technology, saying trust develops over time through consistent performance and repeatable results.
A successful transition away from mercury will also require skills development and ongoing support for miners, she said, arguing that artisanal operators have limited time and resources to experiment with unproven systems.
“We want technology that has been tested and proven that it works better. We want something that takes us straight to the point,” Chipangura said.
