Breaking: Caxton Mangezi Retires as Caledonia Vice President
Caledonia Mining Corporation has announced that Mr Caxton Mangezi will be retiring from his position as Vice President of Zimbabwe operations. The company expressed gratitude and thanked the legendary miner for over 55 years of outstanding service at its flagship gold operation, Blanket Mine.
By Rudairo Mapuranga
In a statement, Caledonia Mining Corporation noted that during his tenure as General Manager at Blanket from 1993 to 2021, Mangezi oversaw the production of nearly 33 tonnes of gold, marking an outstanding contribution to the gold mining operation.
“Mr. Mangezi has worked at Blanket since 1969, between 1993 and 2021 he held full responsibility for the day-to-day operations in his role as General Manager.
During the period of his stewardship:
– Blanket produced over 1 million ounces of gold (nearly 33 tonnes), which represents an outstanding contribution to all stakeholders.
– Blanket emerged as one of Zimbabwe’s largest and most reliable large-scale gold producers, which now employs over 2,000 people.
– Blanket increased its production from 20,000 ounces (567 kg) in 1993 to over 80,000 ounces in 2022 (approx. 2.5 tonnes),” the company said.
Caledonia also stated that during his time as General Manager, Mangezi successfully implemented the Central Shaft project which increased the life of Blanket Mine to the year 2041.
“A major milestone during this time was the successful implementation of the Central Shaft project, completed in 2021, which involved sinking a new shaft from the surface to 1,204 meters. This project was accomplished under Mr. Mangezi’s direction, using internal financial and technical resources, and completed and commissioned without any fatality. Following the commissioning of this shaft, Blanket’s mine life has increased to 2041 with scope for further extensions depending on exploration success,” the company said.
Commenting on Mangezi’s retirement, Mark Learmonth, Chief Executive Officer of Caledonia, said:
“On behalf of Caledonia, I thank Caxton for his outstanding contribution to the success of Blanket Mine over many decades. It has been an enormous privilege to work with him. I am very pleased he has agreed to remain a consultant to the company, where we can continue to benefit from his experience and insight. In addition to his role at Blanket, I would also like to recognize his important position in the Zimbabwe mining industry in which he commands deep and wide respect for his achievements over a long and distinguished career. Along with my colleagues – past and current – I wish him a long and happy retirement.”
Nick Ncube, Chairman of Blanket Mine, commented: “Blanket Mine was a very different place when Caxton started 55 years ago and, over this time, he has made many contributions to its success. Under his leadership, Blanket has increased production to around 75,000 ounces today. A key component of this growth was the completion of the Central Shaft project which has established a solid foundation for the business. Achievements such as this require strong leadership and we are all extremely grateful to Caxton, whose strength, skills, and experience proved invaluable over this period. I wish him a happy retirement.”
Mangezi said he was honoured to have served at Blanket Mine and wished the company the best.
“It has been an honour to serve Blanket Mine over my career, during which time I have witnessed the transformation of the business. I wish the company the very best for the future,” commented Mangezi.