Zimbabwe’s largest platinum producer, Zimplats, has opened a third mining concentrator as part of a $1.8bn investment program to expand the country’s mining capacity.
Speaking at the official opening of the concentrator, Mines Minister Winston Chitando stated that value-addition and beneficiation are crucial for Zimbabwe’s economic development, creating jobs, increasing exports, and generating revenue for the government. He said:
What we have today is commissioning of a concentrator plant built by Zimplats which is part of the US$1.8bn investment programme.
This plant represents a significant milestone in the value-addition of mineral resources to promote a sustainable mining industry.
As we all know, value-addition and beneficiation are very key to our economic development, they create jobs, increase exports and generate revenue for the government. Therefore, it is our duty as a nation to promote and support industries that add value to our natural resources.
Zimplats also plans to develop a 110-megawatt solar power plant to power its facilities. In 2021, the firm announced plans to invest $1.8bn by 2028 in Zimbabwe’s mining facilities, including a base metal refinery and a sulfuric acid plant to increase production.
In 2021, Zimbabwe imported $4.3m worth of sulfuric acid and remains a significant fertilizer importer, despite having the potential to produce it locally. The government is prioritizing the creation of a fertilizer supply chain to help Zimbabwe achieve food security, and the treasury has set aside $22m to stimulate the creation of this supply chain, according to The Herald. Currently, the country has only one fertiliser producer, Zimbabwe Phosphate Industries.
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