GDI to become Zimbabwe’s biggest platinum producer
AO Afromet and Landela owned mining firm, Great Dyke Investment is set to become the biggest platinum producer in Zimbabwe.
Rudairo Dickson Mapuranga
According to the mines’ Chief Operations Officer, Munashe Shava, the mine which has a life span of nearly 100 years has the potential to become the biggest platinum producer in 12 years producing an average of 8 million tonnes platinum ore annually.
The company’s Chief Operations officer said that the mine in Norton was divided into three phases with the first phase boosting of an initial capacity of producing an average of 4 million tonnes platinum ore annually.
Shava also said that the company’s ore production can move up to 12 tonnes annually at full capacity production.
“GDI phase one will generate 4 million tonnes of ore annually, the Northern part will run at not less than 30 years and the southern part will push to 65-70 years. In about 12 years, the mine will be able to produce 8 million tonnes which can move to 12 million tonnes as time goes on” said Shava.
The company which has the capacity to employ 3500 employees according to Shava is looking forward to employing more people from Norton, as a result, it is building a training center which will be paying salaries to trainees.
“The first thing we did was to build a training school so that we can Norton residents who have the knowledge to run mining machines,” said Shava.
Darwendale Integrated Platinum Group Metals (PGM) Project is operated by Great Dyke Investments (Pvt) Ltd, a joint venture established on a 50/50 basis between Russian AO Afromet and the Zimbabwean company.
Darwendale deposit is a part of the Great Dyke in the Republic of Zimbabwe, one of the world’s largest systems of PGM mineralization with shallow dipping of ore bodies. Total resources of the deposit amount 50 mln oz (1,550 t) of PGMs, of which 17.6 mln oz (550 t) have been thoroughly explored and confirmed according to JORC standards.
The Project is earmarked high priority for state and economic relationship between Russia and Zimbabwe. The Intergovernmental agreement has been signed in support of the Project by both Russian and Zimbabwean governments. Moreover, the Special mining lease and the National project status have been granted to Project which fixes significant preferences and benefits in accordance with the Zimbabwean law.
Zimbabwe’s current biggest platinum producer, Zimplats mined 6.7 million tonnes of ore in the financial year 2018.