...Questions arise on how they will make the strategy work

The Mineral Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) – a state-owned entity, responsible for marketing all mineral produce in the country save for silver and gold – has revealed that it will be deploying drones to verify the true total mineral output at the mines it has jurisdiction over.

The agency said the drones will enhance mineral accounting by surveilling transit cargo and production stocks; as part of the agency’s larger initiatives to combat illicit mineral activities,

In statement MMCZ general manager, Dr Nomsa Moyo said mining – a strategically important sector of Zimbabwe’s economy accounting for about twelve percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and roughly 80 percent of all shipments – has been leaking minerals under the table, through unmitigated smuggling and alleged underreporting of what the mines are actually producing.

“The drones will allow us to precisely measure volumes of excavated materials and stockpiles,” Moyo said.

“This will enable more accurate reconciliation with declared production figures and help identify discrepancies that may signal smuggling or under declaration.”

Under the microscope will be lithium, a mineral product that has seen a sharp rise in demand in recent years, as well as platinum and most minerals that have to be transported in their raw form out of the country.

A large volume of these minerals are reportedly leaving the country via illegal means, depriving government of revenue. Zimbabwe has reportedly faced rampant mineral leakages, with anecdotal evidence suggesting the country loses millions of dollars through smuggling.

So. The minerals marketing agency has done well to identify the problem.

The proposed solution though…

We know we love drones, but we have to caveat that otherwise unconditional with the disclaimer that we love drone technology insofar as it solves industrial problems that professionals face in their everyday operations; or humanitarian problems where people’s lives are at stake.

We are doubtful that just throwing at drone at every problem is what the industry needs, especially in Africa where drone technology is still in its infancy and needs more hits than it can take misses.

Which is why this imminent development from the MMCZ has given us pause for thought. How practical is it, and how will the mining industry in the country react to this?

“(On paper), the concept sounds innovative, but without a solid governance framework, clear communication, and strong technical checks, the MMCZ risks turning this into a public relations issue rather than a success story,” said Patrick Weeden the founder and Managing Director at Scout Aerial Systems, a drone-based provider of remote sensing and geospatial systems, with offices in Harare and Australia.

Weeden thinks challenges might arise out of this initiative that the MMCZ should have anticipated before committing to a whole drone programme to deal with a problem that can go away fast, and leave the state agency’s drone fleet and personnel redundant.

Such issues include the legality of flying drones over private mining operations.

“While the idea of drones policing mineral movement sounds good on paper, Zimbabwe’s aviation rules make drone flights over private property a sensitive issue,” he explained.

“Private mines with valid licences could push back, arguing privacy invasion; they could even take legal action if they feel unfairly monitored.

“On top of that, there’s still the question of whether drone-collected data would hold up in court as evidence.”

“Many legitimate miners may see this as an intrusion or an overreach. Without proper communication, MMCZ could end up alienating operators who might otherwise cooperate to curb smuggling.”

That is because mining companies are really fond of keeping their data private, and the MMCZ lurking in the sky to document what is happening at mining premises  will present data ownership and data security issues.

There is also the cost of establishing a drone programme (obtaining the operating certificate, employing and training personnel and having to setting up teams big enough to be in several places around the country at all times) and other operational costs which the corporation will need to consider.

He added that, with small scale and informal mining operations also in the mix of extracting important ores in remote areas, identifying monitoring their locations could be problematic, as they will work hard to stay hidden; even to the extent of working through the night – posing safety, terrain and weather challenges for teams operating the drones.

And even that is not all.

“Volumetric analysis (estimating stockpile sizes from drone data) is notoriously sensitive to flight paths and calibration. Without proper baseline measurements, the data could be challenged by operators as being inaccurate or inconsistent without survey-grade ground control (requires site access prior to flights).”

Weeden’ submission was that the MMCZ would have been better off outsourcing their idea to a service provider already familiar with mining industry first, before deciding on the scalability of establishing their own in-house operation.

“The MMCZ should focus on their core mandate and sub-contract this work. Cost benefit will be difficult to justify with procurement costs, training, maintenance, compliance burdens among several issues they have to go through.”

The MMCZ though emphasises that minerals are a national asset that must be exported at correct values and appropriately taxed, with the Zimbabwe government reportedly working to improve the attractiveness of the country’s mining industry and economy in general through policy reforms and incentives such as tax breaks and tax-free zones.

A recent study by the Southern Africa Resource Watch (SARW) identified Zimbabwe’s remote airstrips as a strategic avenue for smuggling precious minerals out of the country, raising concerns about revenue leakages.

SARW, an independent non-profit organisation monitoring natural resource extraction in the southern African region, has noted that the clandestine operations are being enabled by a lack of technology and modern radar systems capable of effectively monitoring these aviation facilities.

While the report did not disclose specific minerals being smuggled, Zimbabwe is known to possess significant reserves of gold, diamonds and other precious resources, making them lucrative targets for illicit trade.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) does not have a dedicated radar system, specifically for small airstrips, as most smaller airports in the country typically rely on basic visual monitoring due to the high cost of installing and maintaining a full radar system at such locations.