Zimplats Smelter to Begin Processing Mimosa’s Concentrates in January – Chitando
Mining Zimbabwe reports that the country’s second-biggest platinum group metals (PGMs) producer, Mimosa Mining Company, will start toll processing its concentrates at Zimplats’ recently expanded smelter in January.
By Rudairo Mapuranga
During a recent site visit to Zimplats’ Selous Metallurgical Complex, Minister of Mines and Mining Development Hon. Winston Chitando confirmed that Mimosa will begin utilizing Zimplats’ smelting capacity early next year. The Zimplats smelter, which has undergone significant upgrades, will play a crucial role in processing Mimosa’s concentrates, reducing the need for external smelting services and creating additional value within Zimbabwe.
He stated that this development marks a significant step forward in local beneficiation and aligns with the government’s vision for the country to achieve upper-middle-income status by 2030.
“The Zimplats smelter’s capacity has been increased threefold, which is a major breakthrough for the platinum sector. This expansion will enable Zimplats to handle not only its own concentrates but also toll-process material from Mimosa Mining Company starting in January,” said Minister Chitando.
This move is seen as a key component of Zimbabwe’s strategy to reduce raw material exports and focus on local beneficiation, thereby increasing revenue and employment opportunities in the mining sector. By processing Mimosa’s concentrates locally, Zimplats will contribute significantly to achieving this goal while enhancing its operational efficiency.
Zimplats’ Chief Technical Officer, Amend Chiduma, explained the scale and capabilities of the new smelting infrastructure at the Selous Metallurgical Complex during the visit, stating that it is three times the previous smelting capacity.
“Our smelter has been upgraded to process 380 kilotons of material per annum, which is three times what we were previously handling. This capacity expansion allows us to not only meet our internal needs but also process concentrates from Mimosa and other producers, as necessary. It’s a game-changer for the local PGM industry,” said Chiduma.
The smelter expansion is part of Zimplats’ larger beneficiation strategy, which includes the construction of a Base Metal Refinery (BMR) that will enable the company to process base metals such as nickel, copper, and cobalt on-site. The BMR is expected to be operational soon, further enhancing Zimbabwe’s PGM industry by ensuring that more stages of production occur locally.
Minister Chitando emphasized the importance of such infrastructure investments in promoting Zimbabwe’s industrialization goals and boosting the mining sector’s contribution to the economy.
“With the increased smelting capacity at Zimplats and the imminent start of Mimosa’s toll processing, we are seeing real progress in our efforts to ensure that more value is added to our resources locally. This will positively impact revenue generation and create skilled jobs, which aligns with our mining roadmap,” he added.
Previously, PGM producers sent concentrates for smelting and other beneficiation to South Africa. Zimplats’ smelter expansion will help other mines reduce the logistics costs of transporting concentrates to South Africa and create jobs locally.