Caledonia Mining has released its 2025 environmental, social and governance (ESG) report, highlighting progress made at its flagship Blanket mine in Zimbabwe.
The company reported strengthened environmental performance through improved water efficiency, securing a long-term solar power supply, and reducing incident risk through more integrated management of key environmental systems.
Local supplier spend for the year amounted to $31.9 million, compared with $16.5 million in 2024, while community development investment increased to $1.6 million from $1.4 million.
“As our business evolves, disciplined governance, effective risk management and clear accountability remain essential to sustaining value for all stakeholders,” said company chief executive Mark Learmonth.
Safety performance improved, with the total injury frequency rate declining to 3.47 from 4.39 in 2024, and five lost‑time injuries were recorded.
“Safety continues to be our most fundamental priority. The loss of a colleague during the year is deeply regretted and reinforces our commitment to eliminate risk through stronger controls and improved oversight,” said Learmonth.
Total water consumption was reduced to 2.32 million cubic metres from 2.8 million in 2024, improving water intensity to 2.8 cubic metres per tonne milled and 30.49 cubic metres per ounce of gold produced.
The company recycled 1.01 million cubic metres of processed water, up from 695,383 cubic metres in 2024, with recycling exceeding two‑thirds of plant water use in the second half.
Total fuel consumption decreased to 2.62 million litres from 3.3 million litres in 2024, despite increased grid electricity usage. Environmental incidents fell to 87 in the fourth quarter of 2025 from 176 in the same period of 2024, with no level 1 or level 2 environmental incidents recorded during the year.
Caledonia said it completed the sale of the 12.2 MW solar plant while retaining a long‑term power purchase agreement, ensuring about 20% to 21% of Blanket’s electricity continues to be supplied from solar – over 26 GWh in 2025.
“As Caledonia continues to transition into a multi‑asset gold producer, our ESG framework will remain central to how we deliver growth responsibly,” said Learmonth.
“Our focus is on maintaining a disciplined, transparent and practical approach – ensuring that we protect our licence to operate while delivering long‑term value for our stakeholders.”
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor-In-Chief, Rough & Polished
