ZIMBABWEAN testing laboratories are buckling under pressure from a dramatic increase in mineral samples as mining companies accelerate exploration efforts, driven by soaring gold prices that reached a record $3,500 per ounce in April, Reuters reported.
The precious metal’s meteoric rise, fuelled by geopolitical tensions, central bank purchases, and economic uncertainty surrounding President Trump’s tariff policies, has sparked renewed interest in Zimbabwe’s mining sector after years of decline, the newswire said.
The southern African nation’s gold production has surged 40% to 24.3 tons in the first seven months of 2025, with annual output expected to surpass 40 tons – a dramatic recovery from just three tons in 2008 following decades of political and economic turmoil.
Craig Harvey, Vice President for Technical Services at major producer Caledonia Mining, reported significant delays in receiving laboratory results for exploration samples.
“It’s very frustrating for us, but in the Zimbabwe context that’s actually very encouraging,” Harvey explained to analysts, noting increased competition from numerous companies entering the market,” he told Reuters.
“The exploration boom reflects Zimbabwe’s untapped potential,” Harvey added, describing the country as “completely under-explored.”
Caledonia’s profits jumped to $34.8m in the six months to June, compared with $12.25m previously, benefiting from increased production and higher gold prices. CEO Mark Learmonth said the company is exploring funding options for its Bilboes project, potentially Zimbabwe’s largest gold mine.
