Zimbabwe: Gvt Cuts Mining Fees to Boost Investment
The Government has approved a broad overhaul of licences, permits and fees in the mining sector in a move it says will reduce the cost of doing business and improve competitiveness.
Announcing the decision after a Cabinet meeting in Harare, acting Information Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu said the reforms aim to simplify regulations and remove inefficiencies that have long affected mining operations.
The measures, presented by Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube follow a 2025 Cabinet resolution to introduce business-friendly reforms across key sectors of the economy.
Under the new framework, overlapping licences will be merged under a single regulatory authority, while some levies have been scrapped and others reduced.
Officials say more than 80% of existing fees were found to be appropriate and will remain unchanged.
A tiered fee structure has also been introduced, with artisanal and small-scale miners expected to pay significantly less than large mining companies.
Among the changes announced registration fees for dealing in precious stones will fall from $15 000 to $10 000, payable every five years.
Annual inspection fees for mining claims have been reduced, a trading fee on mining locations has been scrapped.
Export permit fees for exploration samples have dropped from $1 875 to $500.
Commissioning fees have been halved from $700 to $350.
New, lower-cost charges have also been introduced, including a $100 fee for gold jewellery manufacturing licences and applications to register lithium processing plants.
The government said it would also standardise charges imposed by Rural District Councils which previously varied widely.
These levies will now be capped at no more than half of their current levels with adjustments based on employment and production.
Addressing concerns about the reforms, Ncube said they do not amount to new taxes.
“Regulatory fees are paid before doing business, whereas taxes are paid after economic activity,” he said adding that taxes depend on profitability while fees apply regardless of whether a company makes a profit.
He said the changes are part of wider efforts to improve the ease of doing business and attract investment.
Cabinet also noted ongoing reforms in the sector, including a review of mining laws, the development of a new minerals policy and the rollout of a digital system to manage mining rights more transparently.
Officials say the reforms will also help formalise small-scale mining, a key contributor to Zimbabwe’s mineral production.
By 263Chat.
