New Zimbabwe Platinum Mine on Schedule
16 MAY, 2020
Mines and Mining Development Minister Winston Chitando (right), Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube (centre) and Mines Deputy Minister Polite Kambamura look at the box-cut during a tour of Great Dyke Investments in Darwendale yesterday
Herald Correspondent
The new platinum mine being developed by Great Dyke Investments at Mwendamberi is on schedule to start mining by year end.
Minister of Mines and Minerals Development Winston Chitando and Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube toured the site yesterday.
Development of the portal to install the ventilation system and open portal entrances is underway following the box cutting ceremony officiated over by Russian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Nikolai Krasilnikov and Minister Chitando in February.
Minister Chitando said the progress was remarkable feeding into the US$12 billion mining production target set by President Mnangagwa.
“Platinum is earmarked to contribute US$3 billion, an amount based on optimisation programmes of the current three producing mines — Zimplats, Unki and Mimosa,” he said.
Reaching the targeted US$12 billion mining output was a gradual process and the progress at Great Dyke is part of that process with other miners contributing to the growth, explained the minister. Prof Ncube said progress at the mine was also going to contribute to the provincial and national economy.
The mine would contribute significantly to the nation’s platinum exports, already one of the country’s biggest foreign currency earners.
GDI’s board vice chairperson Mr Igor Higer said the progress and development at the mine were a true sign of a good relationship between Russia and Zimbabwe.
“When President Mnangagwa visited President Putin in Russia in 2018, he agreed to the conditions of this project and its success is as a result his honesty,” he said.
“This is also evident in the progress made so far, which is also going to benefit the nation financially and through employment creation.”
He said compared to South Africa and Russia, platinum mining in Zimbabwe was cost effective as Zimbabwean mines are not deep and labour is not hired from outside the nation.
The company’s chief operations officer, Mr Munashe Shava, said a second box-cutting for another portal would be done in the next few weeks as the company ramped up efforts to achieve its targets of starting mining operations by the end of the year.
Minister of State for Provincial Affairs in Mashonaland West province Mary Mliswa-Chikoka said the mine, which is expected to become the second largest after Zimplats was going to reduce unemployment.
The tour was also attended by the Deputy Minister of Mines and Minerals Development Polite Kambamura and Mashonaland West provincial mining director Ms Bongie Mpindiwa.
Mines and Mining Development Minister Winston Chitando (right), Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube (centre) and Mines Deputy Minister Polite Kambamura look at the box-cut during a tour of Great Dyke Investments in Darwendale yesterday
Herald Correspondent
The new platinum mine being developed by Great Dyke Investments at Mwendamberi is on schedule to start mining by year end.
Minister of Mines and Minerals Development Winston Chitando and Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube toured the site yesterday.
Development of the portal to install the ventilation system and open portal entrances is underway following the box cutting ceremony officiated over by Russian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Nikolai Krasilnikov and Minister Chitando in February.
Minister Chitando said the progress was remarkable feeding into the US$12 billion mining production target set by President Mnangagwa.
“Platinum is earmarked to contribute US$3 billion, an amount based on optimisation programmes of the current three producing mines — Zimplats, Unki and Mimosa,” he said.
Reaching the targeted US$12 billion mining output was a gradual process and the progress at Great Dyke is part of that process with other miners contributing to the growth, explained the minister. Prof Ncube said progress at the mine was also going to contribute to the provincial and national economy.
The mine would contribute significantly to the nation’s platinum exports, already one of the country’s biggest foreign currency earners.
GDI’s board vice chairperson Mr Igor Higer said the progress and development at the mine were a true sign of a good relationship between Russia and Zimbabwe.
“When President Mnangagwa visited President Putin in Russia in 2018, he agreed to the conditions of this project and its success is as a result his honesty,” he said.
“This is also evident in the progress made so far, which is also going to benefit the nation financially and through employment creation.”
He said compared to South Africa and Russia, platinum mining in Zimbabwe was cost effective as Zimbabwean mines are not deep and labour is not hired from outside the nation.
The company’s chief operations officer, Mr Munashe Shava, said a second box-cutting for another portal would be done in the next few weeks as the company ramped up efforts to achieve its targets of starting mining operations by the end of the year.
Minister of State for Provincial Affairs in Mashonaland West province Mary Mliswa-Chikoka said the mine, which is expected to become the second largest after Zimplats was going to reduce unemployment.
The tour was also attended by the Deputy Minister of Mines and Minerals Development Polite Kambamura and Mashonaland West provincial mining director Ms Bongie Mpindiwa.
No comments:
Post a Comment