Mvuma

Mvuma is a small mining town in Midlands province in Zimbabwe.Located 192 km south of Harare along the Harare - Masvingo highway. Approx 100 km from Masvingo.BackgroundThe main employer was the Athens Mine owned by Lonrho Zimbabwe which mined gold, silver, and copper. It was closed down around 1996 due to a mine shaft collapse and the low price of gold. One may still see a huge chimney, on top of a hill near the mine, built in 1913 and visible from miles away. The chimney is 40.28m tall.PopulationThe population is estimated to be around 7000, and the town has an altitude of 1406m.GeographyThe area is link between Gweru and Chivhu. Located approximately 83 km from Gweru and approximately 54 km to Chivhu. The area is soorunded by Chirumhanzu Communal lands which fall within its administration. Nearby farms include the former Central Estates Headquarters formerly owned by N. Van Hoogstraten with capacity to employee 1000 workers. Due to land redistribution in 2000 the agricultural hub failed, with the closure of Anthens mine, led to migration and thus urban decay of Mvuma.OperationsThere are huge cyanide dumps around the town as a by-product from the gold mining. Now dominated by cattle ranching and agriculture as the means of community support. Formally known as Umvuma, and Umvooma. Mvuma houses a few government offices at district level. It hosts the Chirumhanzu Rural District Council offices as well as a district hospital.