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Blanket Mine has paid a further US$2.5 million dividend to the Gwanda Community Share Ownership Trust, bringing the total value of dividends distributed to the Trust since its establishment in 2012 to more than US$18.9 million, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Rudairo Mapuranga
The payment by Blanket Mine (1983) (Private) Limited, a subsidiary of Caledonia Mining Corporation Plc, highlights the financial relationship between the gold producer and its host communities, which participate in the operation’s returns through the Trust’s shareholding arrangement.
The latest distribution adds to more than a decade of payments to the Trust, which operates independently and is responsible for deciding how its funds are allocated in line with its governance structures and development priorities.
The arrangement provides a channel through which part of the economic value generated by Blanket Mine is transferred to a community institution. However, the extent to which those funds translate into lasting development depends on how they are allocated, managed and spent.
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Elton Gwatidzo, General Manager of Blanket Mine, said the relationship with surrounding communities remained important to the operation’s long-term success.
“At Blanket Mine, we recognise that long-term success depends on building lasting relationships with the communities around us.”
He said the Trust’s shareholding provided a framework for local communities to participate in the value generated by the mine.
“The Gwanda Community Share Ownership Trust provides a framework through which local communities participate in the value created by our operations. This latest dividend reflects the continued strength of that partnership and our commitment to responsible mining practices.”
The payment comes as Blanket Mine continues to develop its gold-producing operations. The mine reported an 18% quarter-on-quarter increase in gold production in the second quarter of 2026, while its underground mineral resource base stood at 2.178 million ounces, alongside the declaration of a maiden surface resource.
For the mining sector, the dividend arrangement illustrates one way in which host communities can participate directly in the financial returns generated by a mining operation, beyond employment, procurement and corporate social responsibility programmes.
The cumulative dividend figure of more than US$18.9 million provides a measure of the value transferred to the Trust since 2012. Assessing the broader development impact of those payments, however, requires information on the projects funded, expenditure and benefits delivered to communities in the Gwanda District.