Judging by the number of stories awash in the media recently, it seems Chinese mining companies are openly flouting environment laws and other legal rules in their quest to explore and plunder the country’s vast natural resources, armed with special mining grants, especially allocated to Chinese nationals to override environment and other ‘obstacles ‘ that might overstep mining operations of the Chinese nationals and their companies.
Recently Chinese Mining Company, Bingze Resources Pvt Ltd has started mining operations in Ward 4 Buhera, the company will exploit scheelite, which is used in manufacturing of bulb filament and electronic tubes.
Under the law of the country, the company could only start operating in an area after notifying the local authority for purposes of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report under Environment Management Agency(EMA) Section 97 of EMA Act states that no mining activities should be done without the EMA approving the EIA report and issue subsequent certificate.
In another event, villagers in Dinde, Hwange have clashed with some Chinese investors conducting coal explorations in villagers land. The row has spilled into the courts. Beifa Investments, the Chinese company, claims to have special mining grant to explore the coal in Dinde, about 30 kilometers outside Hwange town and the community was not consulted on the mining project which is feared could lead to displacement of a dozen villagers.
“As a result of the proposed project, villagers said they feared displacement, loss of field and pasture, desecration of cultural heritage sites, pollution and environment degradation “, said EMA official in Hwange.
The company intends to explore coal deposits in three Wards covering 470 000 hectares riding on special grant permits offered to Chinese nationals by Ministry of Mines.
