Mines and Mining Development Minister Winston Chitando has described the Zhongjin Heli Energy (Pvt) Ltd Five Mile Industrial Park as a textbook example of value addition and beneficiation, saying it should serve as a blueprint for future investments in Zimbabwe’s mining sector,Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Ryan Chigoche
Located in Eastern Hwange The Zhongjin Industrial Park since it’s launch in 2023 the project has progressed tremendously with specialized focus on clean energy development, premium coke production and also green building materials.
Speaking during a tour of the facility Mines Minister Winston Chitando said the park goes beyond traditional mining operations by integrating a full value chain that ensures maximum use of resources and minimal waste.
“This is not just a mining project, it is a true industrial park anchored on value addition and beneficiation,” he said. “Thermal coal comes in to produce electricity, and even the fly ash produced in the process is being utilised to manufacture cement there is no wastage.”
At the centre of the operation is a 235 MW power plant, with 100 MW already feeding into the grid.
The plant’s fly ash is converted into 500,000 tonnes of high-strength cement annually, generating between US$90 million and US$100 million in revenue.
Chitando added that the project is also processing metallurgical coal for higher-value uses, a phase he valued at around US$100 million. The power plant itself represents an investment of US$300 million.
“In total, the current phase of this industrial park is contributing roughly US$500 million in revenue a significant boost to GDP and a concrete step towards achieving Vision 2030,” he said.
Zhongjin Heli Energy Managing Director Mr. Dye said the company was committed to supporting Zimbabwe’s economic transformation through its integrated industrial operations.
“We have built such a facility, a power plant, a coking plant, and a cement plant together to help build the economy of Zimbabwe in the smallest way possible that we can. So the Minister’s visit gives us much energy to continue doing more and do more contributions into the development of Zimbabwe,” Mr. Dye said.
The Minister emphasised that this model where coal-to-power, power-to-cement, and metallurgical coal processing are all linked is exactly what government wants to see across the mining industry as part of its value-addition and beneficiation thrust.
