doi: 10.18178/ijesd.2026.17.2.1576
Beyond Resource Extraction: The Adverse Socio- Environmental Impacts of Mining Operations in Host Communities of Goromonzi and Mazowe Districts, Zimbabwe
Pascal Manyakaidze1,2
,
Steven Jerie1 ,
Hardlife Mudzingwa3 ,
Takunda Shabani2,* ,
Tapiwa Shabani2
- 1Department of Geography, Environmental Sustainability and Resilience Building, Midlands State University, P. Bag 9055, Gweru, Zimbabwe
- 2Centre for Information Learning and Knowledge Transfer Department, Local Initiatives and Development (LID) Agency, Stand 41, Donga Rural Service Centre, Shurugwi, Zimbabwe
- 3Community Water Alliance, Harare, Zimbabwe
- Manuscript receivedSeptember 19, 2025
- revisedNovember 16, 2025
- acceptedDecember 18, 2025
- publishedApril 7, 2026
Abstract
The extraction of valuable geological materialsfrom the earth's crust, mining, is considered a major driver ofeconomic growth across the globe. However, mining operationsare associated with environmental problems worldwide. Miningmakes a significant contribution to Southern African economicdevelopment; however, its environmental impacts offset thebenefits. Due to mining's dominance as an economic driver inZimbabwe, its effects on environmental sustainability areoverlooked and inadequately addressed. This research fills thegap by examining the environmental impacts of mining on hostcommunities, with a focus on the Goromonzi and Mazowedistricts, which are known for their significant extractionoperations. The study adopted a qualitative case study researchdesign. Data was collected using interviews, observations, focusgroup discussions, and from secondary data sources. Analysis ofthe data was highly centred on a thematic approach. Resultsfrom the study demonstrated the impact of mining operationson land and water resource degradation, biodiversity loss, andsocial ills, which adversely affect people's health, livelihoods,societal integration, and the overall resilience of hostcommunities. Various initiatives have been implemented tosuppress the dire impacts of mining, but socio-economic andpolitical challenges have limited their effectiveness. Hence,addressing the negative effects of mining operations on hostcommunities requires a transparent, multi-stakeholderapproach that balances policies, resource conservation,community resilience, gender, and intersectional justice with theeconomic development brought about by mining.
Keywords
- land degradation
- mining
- resource extraction
- host communities
- biodiversity loss
- pollution
- livelihood loss
How to Cite
Pascal Manyakaidze, Steven Jerie, Hardlife Mudzingwa, Takunda Shabani, and Tapiwa Shabani, "Beyond Resource Extraction: The Adverse Socio- Environmental Impacts of Mining Operations in Host Communities of Goromonzi and Mazowe Districts, Zimbabwe," International Journal of Environmental Science and Development, vol. 17, no. 2, pp. 154-163, 2026. https://doi.org/10.18178/ijesd.2026.17.2.1576
Copyright & License
Copyright © 2026 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (CC BY 4.0).