Caledonia Mining announces proposed changes to royalty, tax regimes in Zimbabwe

Caledonia Mining (CMCL) issued an announcement regarding proposed changes to the royalty and tax regimes, as they apply to gold miners, in the Republic of Zimbabwe’s 2026 National Budget. The proposed changes related inter alia to royalties and tax deductibility of capital expenditure. Caledonia noted that the Zimbabwe Minister of Finance announced certain changes to these proposals in the second reading of the 2026 National Budget to the Zimbabwe parliament, specifically; the proposal to increase the royalty rate from 5% to 10% when the gold price exceeds $2,500 per ounce will now only apply should the gold price exceed $5,000 per ounce. The proposed change to the tax treatment of capital expenditure whereby the current 100% upfront deduction would instead be spread over the life of the project, affecting the timing, but not the total amount of tax payable, has been withdrawn. The proposed change to levy withholding tax at 15% on interest payable on offshore loans has been withdrawn. Whilst this provision would have had little effect on Caledonia’s existing operations, it would have had an adverse effect on the Bilboes Gold Project, which Caledonia currently expects to fund with a large proportion of offshore debt. The revised proposals, which have not yet been ratified by parliament, but are expected to be enacted before the end of the year, should result in no change in the financial outlook for Caledonia’s portfolio of assets in Zimbabwe provided the gold price remains below $5,000 per ounce.