PLUMTREE-Based gold mine, Gertie 15 Mine in Mpoengs, has been fined $100 for illegal possession of 70kg of cyanide, 25kg of gold treating empty carbons and 15kg of lime in violation of the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) regulations.
BY SILAS NKALA
The mine manager Effort Saki was fined on his own plea of guilty to the offence after he appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Gladmore Mushove on Tuesday.
The court was told that sometime in February this year, detectives from the Minerals and Border Control Unit raided the mine premises to investigate a reported case of gold ore theft. During the investigations the police came across 75kg of cyanide, 25kg of gold treating empty carbons and 15kg of lime, and Saki failed to produce a hazardous substance storage certificate, leading to his arrest.
The cyanide was taken to Zimbabwe School of Mines for testing where a confirmation certificate was issued.
