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Muzvezve community commends Zimplats for building the Gweshe maternity clinic

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Muzvezve community commends Zimplats for building the Gweshe maternity clinic

The country’s biggest platinum group metals (PGM) producer Zimplats has been commended for building a modern pre and post-natal care facility worth over US$230 000 at Gweshe Clinic in Muzvezve constituency, Mhondoro Ngezi District in Mashonaland West as the company seeks to make life easy for expecting mothers in the area.

Rudairo Mapuranga

The facility which comprises of a maternity ward, a waiting mother’s shelter, spacious staff accommodation for two families, and a cooking area has a maternity ward and the mother’s waiting home fitted with state-of-the-art beds and linen which has been received joyously by the community.

Speaking to Mining Zimbabwe, Mhondoro Ngezi Rural District Council Chairperson Ephraim Chengeta said Zimplats has been at the forefront in improving the quality of health care in the District.

He said people in Mhondoro Ngezi were going to benefit significantly from the establishment of the health facility by Zimplats.

“We are grateful to Zimplats, they have been helping us in many projects including the building of the facilities that you see here. As the people of Mhondoro Ngezi district, we are thankful for what they have been doing to us through their Corporate Social Responsibility strategy,” Councilor Chengeta said.

Gweshe clinic Sister in Charge Agnes Madzamba said the project has enhanced health care services for communities around the clinic, increased the clinic’s capacity to serve the community and improved the overall health care experience for both patients and medical staff.

“This has made it easy for people in the Muzvezve constituency. We thank Zimplats for the equipment that they gave us. We received beds for pre and post-natal, delivery beds and blankets. We are grateful for this gesture by Zimplats by bringing a state-of-the-art maternity clinic to this constituency,” Sister Madzamba said.

Enoch Majinga a community health worker in the District said the gesture would lead to health benefits for the people of Mhondoro Ngezi especially pregnant women who were going to Kadoma for maternity and some would end up giving birth at home.

Majinga said Gweshe Clinic used to have one block and two staff quarters, which were insufficient to cater for the needs of neighbouring communities. Due to these constraints, most patients preferred to seek treatment in Kadoma, while it was uncommon for expecting mothers to give birth at home, putting their lives and that of their babies at risk since home births are associated with a higher risk of infant death, seizures and nervous system disorders than hospital births.

“Zimplats has done amazing things for us, it is now easy for women and pregnant women to receive medication. It is going to cut costs to go to Kadoma and we are going to reduce a situation where pregnant women give birth at home,” he said.

Zimbabwe gold buying prices/ gram 12 December 2023

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Zimbabwe gold buying prices/ gram 12 December 2023

Fidelity Gold Refinery (FGR) official gold buying prices/ gram. See the Zimbabwe gold buying prices/ gram today 12 December 2023.

SG 90% AND ABOVE US$60.35/g
SG ABOVE 85% BUT BELOW 90% US$59.72g
SG ABOVE 80% BUT BELOW 85% US$59.08/g
SG ABOVE 75% BUT BELOW 80% US$58.44/g
SAMPLE BELOW 10g BUT ABOVE 5g US$57.48/g

Fire Assay CASH $60.67/g

NB: Fire Assay cash price is for gold above 100gs, no sample is deducted.
For the Fire Assay Transfer price, a sample of not more than 10g is deducted
A 2% royalty is charged on all deposits (small-scale miners)
A 5% royalty is set for Primary Producers

Cash available. Fidelity Gold Refinery prices will be changing daily to match world market prices.

Zimplats officially hands over a modern pre and post-natal care facility

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Zimplats officially hands over a modern pre and post-natal care facility

The country’s biggest platinum group metal (PGM) producer, ZIMPLATS, has officially handed over a pre and post-natal care facility worth over US$230 000 to Gweshe Clinic in Mhondoro Ngezi in an endeavour to make life easy for expecting mothers in the area.

Rudairo Mapuranga

The facility comprises of a maternity ward, a waiting shelter, spacious staff accommodation for two families, and a cooking area. The maternity ward and the mother’s waiting home were fitted with state-of-the-art beds and linen.

The clinic used to have one block and two staff quarters, which were insufficient to cater for the needs of neighbouring communities. Due to these constraints, most patients preferred to seek treatment in Kadoma a distance away.

Speaking at the official handover of the Gweshe clinic project, Zimplats’ Managing Director Mr Stanley Segula said the PGM miner takes pride in interventions that improve the quality of Healthcare in the country bringing it closer to achieving universal health coverage, equity and reducing maternal and newborn deaths.

“Through this project, we have enhanced Healthcare services for communities around the clinic, increased the clinic’s capacity to serve the community and improved the overall Healthcare experience for both patients and medical staff,” he said.

Also speaking at the official handover ceremony of the ward, the Minister of Health and Child Dr Douglas Mombeshora represented by the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Hon Marian Chombo said mining Institutions should join Zimplats in investing in the health delivery system to enable the country to provide universal access to all people within a reasonable period.

“With more Institutions coming on board to join Zimplats in investing in the health delivery system, Zimbabwe should be able to provide universal access to all within a reasonable period. Such is the objective of the National Health Strategy 2021-2025, which outlines the road map towards turning around and restoring stability in the country’s health system, with focus on 10 strategic areas, amongst them, improving access to essential environment,  improving health infrastructure and medical equipment for health service delivery and improved governance of health services,” Dr Mombeshora said.

Minister Chombo commended Zimplats for the work it is undertaking in its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) drive which she said will go a long way in transforming the country’s economy in line with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s vision of leaving no place behind.

“What makes me proud about the work they’re doing in their communities is that they’re targeting social performance programmes, which are among catalysts for the country’s development, namely community wellness, education and skills development, infrastructure development, and enterprise development.

“Their interventions in the realm of community wellness, resonate with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s clarion call that no place and no one should be left behind as we seek to propel our nation forward on the path to economic prosperity,” Hon Chombo said.

Astralian company to acquire 6 lithium-tin-tantalum claims

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Astralian company to acquire 6 lithium-tin-tantalum claims

MetalsGrove Mining Ltd (ASX:MGA) is trading higher on entering into a strategic agreement to acquire six, contiguous and highly prospective lithium-tin-tantalum claims in Zimbabwe, in what the company considers a “transformational” opportunity.

The newly acquired claims are close to the ‘world-class’ Arcadia Minerals lithium-producing mine in Zimbabwe, which is one of the world’s largest lithium mines producing up to 450,000 tonnes per annum of lithium concentrate.

Notably, five claims are within the well-known Goromonzi lithium belt with the sixth claim located in the Beatrice lithium belt.

Looking ahead, MGA’s technical team is finalising plans for an initial exploration campaign which is due to kick off in the March quarter of 2024.

The markets have welcomed the news with shares trading as high as $0.105, up 40% from the previous close.

“Transformational opportunity”

MetalsGrove managing director Sean Sivasamy said: “MetalsGrove is very excited to be acquiring these advanced lithium assets which provide the company with prime exposure to the proven lithium-producing district in Zimbabwe.

“Importantly, the upfront acquisition terms are modest, allowing the company to set about rapidly advancing these projects through a targeted exploration campaign early next year.

“Further highlighting the near-term development potential of these projects, we will be located nearby to accessible high-quality infrastructure and a large-scale lithium processing facility.

“The board considers this a transformational opportunity for MGA supported by a strong lithium market and we look forward to advancing these assets as quickly as possible over the coming months.”

Asset summary

The new claims spanning 510 hectares are situated across the Arcturas and Beatrice projects, where recent rock chip samples have returned grades up to 2.5% and 2.1% lithium respectively.

Arcturas Lithium Project (ALP) is 35 kilometres northeast of Harare and the Beatrice Project is 55 kilometres south of Harare.

The ALP is also close to the Arcadia Lithium Mine and the Arcturas Gold Mine.

The Arcadia Minerals lithium mine was purchased by Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt in 2022 for US$422 million.

Well-known pegmatite zone

This region is the most well-known pegmatite zone that is mineralised in spodumene, lepidolite, beryllium, tantalum and caesium.

The lithium minerals consist of spodumene and lepidolite-bearing pegmatites and are populated by several artisanal workings and pegmatite surface outcrops.

The pegmatites are exposed at the surface and close to the surface with some of the pegmatites being flat-lying.

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Caledonia Mining Corporation Plc: Notification of relevant change to significant shareholder

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Caledonia Mining Corporation Plc: Notification of relevant change to significant shareholder

Caledonia Mining Corporation Plc: VFX announces that it received notification on December 8, 2023, from BlackRock, Inc. that on December 7, 2023 it had crossed a threshold for notification of a relevant change (as defined by the AIM Rules for Companies).

A copy of the notification is below.

Enquiries:

Caledonia Mining Corporation Plc
Mark LearmonthTel: +44 1534 679 800
Camilla HorsfallTel: +44 7817 841 793
Cavendish Capital Markets Limited (Nomad and Joint Broker)
Adrian HaddenTel: +44 207 397 1965
Pearl KellieTel: +44 131 220 9775
Liberum Capital Limited (Joint Broker)
Scott Mathieson/Kane CollingsTel: +44 20 3100 2000
BlytheRay Financial PR (UK)
Tim Blythe/Megan RayTel: +44 207 138 3204
3PPB (Financial PR, North America)
Patrick ChidleyTel: +1 917 991 7701
Paul DurhamTel: +1 203 940 2538
IH Securities (Private) Limited (VFEX Sponsor – Zimbabwe)
Lloyd MlotshwaTel: +263 (242) 745 119/33/39

TR-1: Standard form for notification of major holdings

NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR HOLDINGS (to be sent to the relevant issuer and to the FCA in Microsoft Word format if possible) i
1a. Identity of the issuer or the underlying issuer of existing shares to which voting rights are attached ii:CALEDONIA MINING CORPORATION PLC
1b. Please indicate if the issuer is a non-UK issuer  (please mark with an “X” if appropriate)
Non-UK issuerX
2. Reason for the notification (please mark the appropriate box or boxes with an “X”)
An acquisition or disposal of voting rights X
An acquisition or disposal of financial instruments
An event changing the breakdown of voting rights
Other (please specify) iii:
3. Details of person subject to the notification obligation iv
NameBlackRock, Inc.
City and country of registered office (if applicable)Wilmington, DE, USA
4. Full name of shareholder(s) (if different from 3.) v
Name
City and country of registered office (if applicable)
5. Date on which the threshold was crossed or reached vi:07/12/2023
6. Date on which issuer notified (DD/MM/YYYY):08/12/2023
7. Total positions of person(s) subject to the notification obligation
% of voting rights attached to shares (total of 8. A)% of voting rights through financial instruments
(total of 8.B 1 + 8.B 2)		Total of both in % (8.A + 8.B)Total number of voting rights held in issuer (8.A + 8.B) vii
Resulting situation on the date on which threshold was crossed or reached4.18%0.50%4.68%899,705
Position of previous notification (if
applicable)		3.10%1.61%4.71%

8. Notified details of the resulting situation on the date on which the threshold was crossed or reached viii
A: Voting rights attached to shares
Class/type of
shares
ISIN code (if possible)		Number of voting rights ix% of voting rights
Direct
(DTR5.1)		Indirect
(DTR5.2.1)		Direct
(DTR5.1)		Indirect
(DTR5.2.1)
JE00BF0XVB15803,5764.18%
SUBTOTAL 8. A803,5764.18%
B 1: Financial Instruments according to DTR5.3.1R (1) (a)
Type of financial instrumentExpiration
date x		Exercise/
Conversion Period xi		Number of voting rights that may be acquired if the instrument is
exercised/converted.		% of voting rights
Securities LendingN/AN/A4,1000.02%
SUBTOTAL 8. B 14,1000.02%
B 2: Financial Instruments with similar economic effect according to DTR5.3.1R (1) (b)
Type of financial instrumentExpiration
date x		Exercise/
Conversion Period xi		Physical or cash
Settlement xii		Number of voting rights% of voting rights
CFDN/AN/ACash92,0290.47%
 SUBTOTAL 8. B.292,0290.47%

9. Information in relation to the person subject to the notification obligation (please mark the applicable box with an “X”)
Person subject to the notification obligation is not controlled by any natural person or legal entity and does not control any other undertaking(s) holding directly or indirectly an interest in the (underlying) issuer xiii
Full chain of controlled undertakings through which the voting rights and/or the
financial instruments are effectively held starting with the ultimate controlling natural person or legal entity (please add additional rows as necessary) xiv		X
Name xv% of voting rights if it equals or is higher than the notifiable threshold% of voting rights through financial instruments if it equals or is higher than the notifiable thresholdTotal of both if it equals or is higher than the notifiable threshold
BlackRock, Inc.
Trident Merger, LLC
BlackRock Investment Management, LLC
BlackRock, Inc.
BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc.
BlackRock Financial Management, Inc.
BlackRock Holdco 4, LLC
BlackRock Holdco 6, LLC
BlackRock Delaware Holdings Inc.
BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, National Association
BlackRock, Inc.
BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc.
BlackRock Financial Management, Inc.
BlackRock Holdco 4, LLC
BlackRock Holdco 6, LLC
BlackRock Delaware Holdings Inc.
BlackRock Fund Advisors
BlackRock, Inc.
BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc.
BlackRock Financial Management, Inc.
BlackRock, Inc.
BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc.
BlackRock Financial Management, Inc.
BlackRock Capital Holdings, Inc.
BlackRock Advisors, LLC
 
10. In case of proxy voting, please identify:
Name of the proxy holder
The number and % of voting rights held
The date until which the voting rights will be held
11. Additional information xvi
BlackRock Regulatory Threshold Reporting Team

Jana Blumenstein

020 7743 3650

Place of completion12 Throgmorton Avenue, London, EC2N 2DL, U.K.
Date of completion08 December 2023

 

Zimbabwe gold buying prices/ gram 11 December 2023

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Zimbabwe gold buying prices/ gram 11 December 2023

Fidelity Gold Refinery (FGR) official gold buying prices/ gram. See the Zimbabwe gold buying prices/ gram today 11 December 2023.

SG 90% AND ABOVE US$61.01/g
SG ABOVE 85% BUT BELOW 90% US$60.36g
SG ABOVE 80% BUT BELOW 85% US$59.71/g
SG ABOVE 75% BUT BELOW 80% US$59.07/g
SAMPLE BELOW 10g BUT ABOVE 5g US$58.10/g

Fire Assay CASH $61.33/g

NB: Fire Assay cash price is for gold above 100gs, no sample is deducted.
For the Fire Assay Transfer price, a sample of not more than 10g is deducted
A 2% royalty is charged on all deposits (small-scale miners)
A 5% royalty is set for Primary Producers

Cash available. Fidelity Gold Refinery prices will be changing daily to match world market prices.

Replicate Pickstone’s sustainable mining – Kambamura

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Replicate Pickstone’s sustainable mining – Kambamura

The Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Development Engineer Polite Kambamura has urged the mining industry to mine sustainably drawing lessons from previous owners of the Pickstone Peerless Mine in Chegutu where Operations were able to be resumed despite the mine having been shut down due to low grades then.

Rudairo Mapuranga

Speaking to Mining Zimbabwe on the sidelines of a Ministerial visit to the Pickstone Peerless underground project,  Kambamura encouraged miners to mine sustainably to enable future generations to benefit.

“The old miners mined this mine sustainably that is why the current investor was able to resuscitate this mine because it was mined in a sustainable manner.

“So we urge other miners to mine sustainably so that the future generation can also benefit. In the future a grade of 0.5 grams per tonne might also be sustainable,” Dr Kambamura said.

The Deputy Minister also commended Dallaglio for reopening closed Mines which echoes President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s vision for the country to become an upper middle-income economy by 2030.

“This is a high-grade low volume as compared to Eureka which is a low-grade high volume. 2030 vision is built by contributions from different sectors of the economy, in this sector its all about opening new and old Mines through intensive exploration. So what Pickstone and Peerless have done is to reopen this mine which was closed. It was closed long back because it had low grades which are basically high grades in this era,” Engineer Polite Kambamura said.

Speaking to Mining Zimbabwe Pickstone Peerless General Manager Engineer Alfred Madowe said the development of Pickstone underground operation has created 550 new jobs.

He said the mine was still running its open pit and intending to close early next year but one of the pits will continue to end of next year to support the underground operations with an Outlook to produce an average 100 kgs a month.

The Mine according to Engineer Madowe, Pickstone will next year expand its CIL plant to help the mine process 42 000 tonnes a month.

“This operation is now employing about 550 people. We are still running the open pit, we are closing one of the pits early next year but one of the pits is continuing hopefully to the end of next year basically to support underground as we are ramping up underground production. We also want to ramp up the tonnes we are processing, in terms of outlook we would want to get to about 100 kgs a month. From June next year we would have expanded our CIL plant. At the moment we have extended an additional mill so we now have 4 mills capable of doing 42 000 tonnes but we can’t do 42 000 because of the limitation on our tanks but after expanding on our tanks we can now go to 42000 tonnes per month,” Engineer Madowe said.

Local foundries sector needs US$100 million for retooling

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Local foundries sector needs US$100 million for retooling

Zimbabwe Institute of Foundries (ZIF), says the local foundries sector needs funding to the tune of US$ 100 million for retooling purposes to boost competitiveness which comes from inefficiencies on the back of obsolete and outdated technologies the sector is currently using, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

A foundry is a metal casting manufacturing facility where metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal into a mould, and then removing the mould material once the metal has set and cooled. Aluminium and cast iron are the most commonly treated metals.

Foundry casting offers several major advantages over other metal-forming processes. First and foremost, it’s an incredibly cost-effective way to create large numbers of parts quickly and efficiently. With one mould, hundreds or even thousands of identical parts can be produced in just a few hours a task that would otherwise require significant time and labour to complete. Adding to that foundries can create complex parts that would be difficult or impossible to make using other methods.

The foundry sector plays a crucial role in Zimbabwe’s industrial landscape, serving as the backbone of various industries like mining, agriculture, and manufacturing. It provides essential components and equipment, making it vital for the country’s economic growth and development. They produce diverse cast components, including iron, steel, and aluminium castings, with an annual production estimated to be around 40,000 tonnes.

However of late the local foundries sector has been in a deplorable state facing a myriad of bottlenecks among them the availability of raw materials and the country’s unreliable power supply which have all affected production. Chief amongst them the insufficient investment in modern technology and infrastructure, which have limited production capacity as many local foundries still rely on outdated methods, hindering their efficiency and competitiveness.

Speaking to Mining Zimbabwe on the sidelines of a ZIF summit held in the capital recently ZIF Chief Operations Officer Dosman Mangisi said for the sector to be competitive US100 million is needed for retooling and investment in modern technology.

”The foundries that have expressed the need of funding  the money is around 15 million USD but retooling of the sector in full scale there is need of  US$100 million to say we have a foundry with the whole value chain and latest technologies,”

”The challenges the foundries sector right now apart from raw materials is on the retooling side. Old equipment our casting ratio with other world is way low for example, South Africa is at 1:10, India is at  1:60, Europe 1:40 China 1:50. The Government should look into retooling and assist in technology. If we look elsewhere the Britain government gave money to the foundries for retooling, upgrading to new technology and efficient use of energy. There is an urgent need to change the technology and equipment that we are using because we are using 3 times more energy. As a result, we need funding to get new efficient technology and working capital as well,”  Mangisi said.

Over the years the modern foundry industry has been rapidly evolving, with new technologies emerging that can significantly improve efficiency, productivity, and quality. Some of the key modern technologies that are essential for a competitive foundry in today’s market include  Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and Computer-Aided Manufacturing Automated manufacturing processes, for example, the 3D modeling software. As labour is one of the biggest cost drivers in the industry investment in robotics and automation reduces labor costs which will increase the foundry’s profitability.

Meanwhile, the industry is currently battling an influx from imports competition from imported castings, particularly from South Africa, which is cheaper due to economies of scale. However, despite the challenges, the Zimbabwean foundry sector holds immense potential for growth with increased investment, technological advancements, and improved resource management.

According to industry experts, the sector can increase production capacity and efficiency through modernizing equipment and adopting new technologies can significantly boost production output and reduce costs. The sector also has the potential to expand into new markets. Through focusing on quality and niche markets, foundries can explore export opportunities and diversify their customer base.

Also, there is potential for export to regional markets which is currently being affected by the government ban on the export of scrap metals. Prior to the ban, the country exported approximately 40,000 tonnes of scrap metal annually, generating millions of dollars in revenue. However, the export also contributed to a shortage of scrap metal for local foundries, forcing them to either ration their production or import raw materials at higher prices.

As ZIF is pushing for import substitution Mangisi implored the government to address policy issues chief amongst the the import substitution as increased local production of castings can help reduce reliance on imported components, saving foreign exchange and promoting self-sufficiency.

”We also call on the authorities to address the issues to do with policy remember we were of domestic pricing the minister spoke of subsiding and took it as a serious issue. There is also the issue of import substitutions government is paying attention but they should quickly look into that and also open doors for this key critical industry of metals so that we have enough time to sit down and share,” he said.

Gvt Considers New Tax on Miners to Revive Foundry Sector

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Gvt Considers New Tax on Miners to Revive Foundry Sector

The government, through the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, is considering imposing a new tax on miners, with the proceeds going toward a fee to promote the revival of the country’s foundry sector, which is a vital supplier to the mining industry.

This was said by Minister Soda Zhemu at a recent event in the capital while analyzing alternative ways to fund the retooling of the key sector, which is competing with far cheaper imports from regional competitors who benefit from economies of scale.

The mining sector is one of the biggest customers, as foundries produce a wide range of machinery and parts used in mining operations, such as crushers, grinding mills, conveyor belts, and mining trucks vital components which ensure efficient and safe extraction of minerals.

According to the Zimbabwe Institute of Foundries (ZIF), US$100 million is required for the sector to produce efficiently and become competitive against regional and global players.

Faced with this challenge, Minister Soda Zhemu mulled a tax against the miners as an option in financing the retooling of the foundries sector so that it may improve on efficiencies and ultimately compete in the global market.

“We have to create the money for us to consume that same money. Currently, there is no policy on subsidies, so we have to levy it.  We have to be innovative as to how the fund can be created. It can be a tax against the miners, and then we can levy, which will then be channelled towards the foundries sector,”

”We need to continuously engage so that we come up with a ready mechanism as to how you can get a fund that is specifically for the development of your industry. I will have a discussion with the Minister of Finance to see if we can come up with mechanisms to deal with the retooling issue, and once you have retooled, obviously, you can achieve the required efficiencies and economies of scale,” Zhemu said.

The Minister added that improving on efficiencies is key going forward as the government can no longer provide the protection that used to be available in the past to put some embargo for some products as the world has now become a global village.

”You shall always have those products being manufactured in China competing with your local products,” Zhemu added.

While it might come as pleasant news to players in the foundries sector,  if it comes to fruition, this will be another tax on the already heavily taxed miners.

The high tax burden on miners has been a source of concern for the mining industry, arguing that it discourages investment and hinders the growth of the sector. On several occasions, they have called on the government to review its tax regime and create a more attractive environment for investment.

The government, on the other hand, has argued that taxes are necessary to generate revenue for essential services and infrastructure projects. They also argue that the government needs to ensure that it receives a fair share of the profits from the country’s mineral resources.

Pickstone underground creates over 500 new jobs

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Pickstone underground creates over 500 new jobs

Gold-focused miner, Dallaglio Holdings through its Pickstone Peerless Mine underground project has created 550 new jobs with a potential to create a similar number by developing its open pit mine to underground with feasibility studies currently underway.

Rudairo Mapuranga

The study is for a second underground operation on the Peerless orebody. This is the orebody that is lower grade but has a wider orebody.

Speaking on the sidelines of a Ministerial visit by the Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Development Engineer Polite Kambamura, Pickstone Peerless Mine General Manager Engineer Alfred Madowe said the underground operation took an investment of US$22 million with a further US$27 million committed towards its expansion. This in total created 550 new jobs.

He said the mine was still running its open pit and intended to close early next year but one of the pits will continue to end of next year to support the underground operations as the mine ramps up underground production with an Outlook to go to an average 100 kgs a month.

The Mine according to Engineer Madowe will next year expand its CIL plant to help the mine process 42 000 tonnes a month.

“This operation is now employing about 550 people that are going underground, those are 550 new jobs that this operation has created. We are still running the open pit, we are closing one of the pits early next year but one of the pit is continuing hopefully to end of next year basically to support underground as we are ramping up underground production. We also want to rampup the tonnes we are processing, in terms of out look we would want to go to about 100 kgs a month. From June next we would have expanded our CIL plant, at the moment we have extended an additional mill so we now have 4 mills capable of doing 42 000 tonnes but we can’t do 42 000 because of the limitation on our tanks but after expanding on our tanks we can now go to 42000 tonnes per month,” Engineer Madowe said.

Eng Madowe said that work was in progress for the development of the open pit project to underground with conceptual studies already concluded showing a potential underground operation with a bigger ore body than the current underground operation but with slightly Lower grades.

He said the mine was now moving to feasibility study where a 40 metres decline is going to be established below the pit and then further drilling and exploration commencing to define size and type of the body.

“What we started by doing is a conceptual study, it took the exploration drilling that we did for the surface operation, it extended about 60 to 100 metres below the pit bottom. We used that information to estimate the shape and size of the ore body further down, the indication are that we a potential underground operation. Its a bigger ore body, slightly Lower grades than Pickstone but because of the volume it will be able to sustain underground operation. We are now moving to the feasibility study ,what we want to do is put a decline and then go about 40m below the pit and start drilling further down and do exploration. On the base of that exploration we can then define the size, and type of underground, it’s an underground we can actually mechanise,” Engineer Madowe said.

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