Eureka looks to produce 200kg of gold monthly
President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa last week officially opened Eureka Gold Mine, the mine is expected to become one of the leading gold producers in two years’ time.
Anerudo Mapuranga
The owners, Dallaglio Investments, plan to produce an initial 140 kilogrammes of gold per month gradually increasing to 200 kilogrammes monthly positioning the mine to be a significant contributor to the US$12 billion mining industry by 2023.
According to Mashonaland Central Minister of State in the president’s office Hon Monica Mavhunga, Eureka mine has proven to be a key player in the growth and development of the province as well as being important to the transformation of the economy of Zimbabwe to become an upper-middle-income economy by 2030.
“The impact on the resuscitation of Eureka gold mine has inflicted smiles on many and the social-economic life of the people of Guruve is set to improve. Exceedingly delighted that the mine has employed over 500 people with over 64 per cent of them being locally based. The company has also embarked on serious transformative programs for the local community under its corporal social responsibility,” Mavhunga said.
Eureka Mine, which employed over 400 workers at its peak, producing about 1,5 tonnes of gold per annum, had been idle for the past 20 years, an investment of nearly US$50 million by Dallaglio Investments, which purchased the mine from Delta Gold in 2018 and went on to re-design the mine and install new plant and equipment is considered significant to the achievement of the Mines and Mining Development national gold target where 100 tonnes annual production has been projected by 2023.
Eureka Gold Mine will initially operate as an open-pit mine and the ore body has been explored to a 650-metre depth producing 1.3 grams per tonne with the hope that as they mine deep, the grade will increase.