Farai Mabeza, Senior Staff Writer 
ZIMBABWE Platinum Mines’ (Zimplats) mammoth 10-year US$1,8 billion expansion programme comprising nine projects is rising out of the dusty but rich soils of Mhondoro Ngezi.
The programme began last quarter of calendar year 2021 and US$1,4 billion of the projected total budget has already been approved by the Zimplats board and shareholders.
Zimplats is a member of the Implats group and with the government set to significantly up its mining economy targets from the initial US$12 billion, the company’s programme offers pointers of what it will take for the country to hit those marks.
The project lineup shows Zimplats is not a typical mining investor who extracts, exhausts and leaves.
Key among the projects will be, in pursuit of beneficiation, the US$104 million third concentrator commissioned last week, a US$190 million PGM base metal refinery, and a wet acid plant that will produce sulphuric acid used in the manufacture of phosphate fertilisers for agricultural purposes.
Similarly, work has begun on the sulphur dioxide emissions abatement plant and smelter expansion projects at Selous Metallurgical Complex (SMC) at a total cost of US$521 million.
A 185MW solar power plant at an investment of US$201 million is already underway. Implementation of a 35MW solar plant at SMC, which is Phase 1 of the 185MW solar project, is earmarked for completion end of July 2023.
Interestingly, through an investment arm called Zimplats Enterprises (Private) Limited, the company says it is exploring investments in various areas that will outlive its current mining operations in partnership with key partners including manufacturers, technical partners, and LEDs (Local Enterprise Development programme).
According to chairperson of Implats, Thandi Orleyn, Zimplats’ projects have opened opportunities for local businesses including 22 companies that are under LEDs programme.
“These LEDs participate in the supply chain or as contractors. They have at least ‘guaranteed’ business from Zimplats through some preferential procurement arrangements that we have with them. Approximately 10 to 13 percent of our procurement spend goes to the LEDs,” Orleyn said during the official opening of the third concentrator last week.
Zimplats Enterprises has so far invested in the following projects: manufacturing roof bolts for mine support, cattle ranching (including milk production), manufacture of explosives, quarry mining and production of concrete mix; and maintenance of trackless mobile machinery, among others.
The cattle ranching project, Palmline Investments, was launched by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in 2021.
“Zimplats launched a pioneering cattle ranching project on its mining lease targeting a herd of 8 000 beef cattle including the famous Wagyu cattle and, 5 000 dairy cattle at peak,” Orleyn said.
Zimplats’ mining operations consist of four underground mines located in Mhondoro Ngezi while the processing operations comprise of three concentrators, located in Ngezi and at the SMC.
Another project will see the development of Mupani Mine to replace Rukodzi and Ngwarati mines at a cost of US$388 million, while Bimha Mine upgrade, at a cost of US$82 million, is work in progress.
The expansion will also see the implementation of an employee housing project in Turf town through the construction of an additional 1 052 houses, while 340 houses will be built in Chegutu (for SMC employees) at a cost of US$20 million.
Subscribe to The Financial Gazette
This is premium content. Subscribe to read article.
