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Zimasco to switch on Western Plant, seeks higher output

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Zimasco to switch on Western Plant, seeks higher output

MIDLANDS-based ferrochrome producer, Zimasco, is carrying out rehabilitation works at its West Plant, as it prepares to restart operations at the furnaces.

The development comes after the expiry of a five-year lease agreement between the company and Portnex, who ceased operations in 2019.

Portnex and Zimasco signed a lease deal in 2015 that saw the former inheriting the Western Plant while Zimasco operates the Eastern Plant, which has two furnaces.

The East Plant has two furnaces while the West Plant is the bigger one with three furnaces.

Portnex stopped using the plant in 2019 citing ‘operational challenges’ before its lease expired in December 2020.

Zimasco has been using the East Plant, which it switched on in October last year after a seven-month break induced by the Covid-19 disruption.

General manager marketing and administration, Clara Sadomba, confirmed the development.

“At this stage we can confirm that indeed it is Zimasco’s intention to restart operations at our West Plant furnaces as soon as practicable and assessment of the same is currently ongoing,” she said responding to emailed questions.

She, however, could not be drawn into commenting further on the Portnex deal.

“As you will be aware the lease with Portnex came to an end at the end of 2020 after they had ceased operating West Plant at the end of 2019. You may also be aware that there are various litigation matters still ongoing between Portnex and ourselves and other parties as well. These legal matters preclude us from answering some of the questions,” said Sadomba.

The West Plant, which has three furnaces, is expected to increase production by more than 100 percent for the company.

Zimasco is currently smarting from a knock of losses incurred during the Covid-19 shut down.

The company temporarily halted operations last year as the European market for stainless steel weakened as a result of Covid-19.

When operating at full throttle, Zimasco has an average annual turnover of about $200 million with a potential to employ over 2 000 people directly and more than 4 000 indirectly in its outsourced functions.

At present, the mining and smelting concern employs about 700 workers directly and if the reopening of the West Plant is successful, the number is expected to double.

Zimasco is an integrated ferrochrome producer in Zimbabwe and operates chromite mining locations in Shurugwi, Guinea Fowl, Lalapanzi, Mutorashanga and tributary operations along the Great Dyke of Zimbabwe.

Zimasco’s non-core operations include coal-bed methane and ranching assets in Zimbabwe.

 

Business Weekly

Illegal gold panner stabs friend to death

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Illegal gold panner stabs friend to death

AN illegal gold panner from West Nicholson in Gwanda allegedly fatally stabbed his colleague for mocking him for ditching his wife and cohabiting with a sex worker.

Linos Nsingo (30) and the late Mr Cabanga Ncube were conducting illegal gold panning activities together with several other gold panners at Geelong Mine in West Nicholson when a misunderstanding ensued between the two.

Mr Ncube had allegedly provoked Nsingo by telling him that he left his wife at his rural home to cohabit with an HIV-positive sex worker.

Nsingo was angered by Mr Ncube’s utterances and he immediately pulled out a knife and stabbed the deceased several times leading to his death.

This emerged when Nsingo, through his lawyers Dube and Associates filed an application for bail pending trial at the Bulawayo High Court citing the State as respondent.

The State did not oppose the bail application.

Justice Christopher Dube-Banda granted Nsingo $5 000 bail and ordered him to report at Gwanda Police Station every fortnight as part of the bail conditions.

Nsingo was further ordered to continue residing at his given address and not interfere with State witnesses until the matter is finalised.

In his bail statement, Nsingo is denying the charge, arguing that there is no evidence linking him to the offence.

The applicant who has been in incarceration for three years awaiting trial, said there were no compelling reasons warranting his continued detention.

“It serves the ends of justice to grant me bail since I have been in custody for three years. I have not been tried as a result of the State’s failure to secure witnesses and the delay infringes on my right to be tried within a reasonable period,” said Nsingo.

According to court papers, it was stated that on June 16, 2017, Nsingo and Mr Ncube were at Geelong Mine panning for gold when an altercation ensued. Mr Ncube allegedly told Nsingo that he ditched his wife in order to stay with an HIV-positive sex worker.

This did not go down well with Nsingo who pulled out an okapi knife and stabbed Mr Ncube and he died on the spot.

After committing the alleged offence, Nsingo fled from the scene leaving the body lying in a pool of blood. He went to the bush where he threw away the knife to conceal evidence.

The matter was reported to the police leading to Nsingo’s arrest.

 

The Chronicle

ZCDC ups the ante in food security

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ZCDC ups the ante in food security

THE Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company  (Pvt) Ltd. (ZCDC) has upped the ante to improve food security in the Marange and Arda-Transau communities by providing agricultural equipment and inputs.

Recently, ZCDC provided a tractor to the Bocha Diamond Community Trust to till three hectares of arable land earmarked for an irrigation project meant to empower the Trust and Chiadzwa Ward 29 community.

ZCDC’s support followed the construction of a huge community dam by the Bocha Diamond Community Trust near Mount Makate.

The dam is helping to provide water for their livestock and enhance sustainable irrigation schemes.

The land, which lies on a flat geographical space and has a history of being cultivated, is expected to be put under tillage to produce commercial beans.

The executive director of the Bocha Diamond Trust, Mr. Moses Mukwada, said: “We will use irrigation pipes to water the project. You have taken an important part in helping to create sustainable employment for the community in Ward 29.”

The diamond company has also supported the traditional leaders’ community-based food security scheme popularly known as Zunde Rambo through the provision of inputs such as seed maize and fertiliser to cover at least a hectare.

This concept was established to produce food for the vulnerable in the community and create employment as well as increase food production.

Chief Marange said: “I received agriculture inputs from ZCDC that include seed maize and fertiliser and I am so grateful. If anybody has any doubt, they can come and see what ZCDC has done for me.”So far, the support has benefited Chiefs Marange, Zimunya, Chikukwa and Ngorima, headmen Chiadzwa, Chipindirwe and Mukwada.

An elated Acting Chief Zimunya, said: “The whole province is admiring and emulating me. ZCDC support was excellent and I am at a loss for words. This is so amazing.”

Horticultural groups have also been set up in Chiadzwa, Mukwada and Chipindirwe areas.

At Arda-Transau where villagers who had been living in the Chiadzwa mining concessions were relocated, ZCDC has assisted with the purchase of start-up sorghum seed for the Delta Corporation Market during the 2019/20 agriculture season.

ZCDC spokesperson, Mr. Sugar Chagonda, said: “The farmers successfully supplied their produce to the company and realised income from the project. These farmers are now registered under Delta Corporation’s database and will receive production inputs for future agriculture seasons.”

He added: “Forty-two more farmers from Arda-Transau have also registered to participate in the programme. Experience from the first batch of farmers has proved that the enterprise is a low cost, but the high value and profitable enterprise.” – ZCDC PR & CD Department

About ZCDC

ZCDC is a Private Limited Company wholly owned by Defold Mine (Pvt) Ltd which has 100% shareholding.

The Company was established in 2015 under the Companies Act of Zimbabwe (Chapter 24.03) after the Government consolidated all the diamond mining concessions in Chiadzwa.

ZCDC currently has operations in the Chiadzwa area and in Chimanimani and is conducting extensive exploration and evaluation across Zimbabwe in search of Kimberlite pipes that can be mined economically.

Chinese company to build iron ore mine, steel plant from May

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Chinese company to build iron ore mine, steel plant from May

China’s Tsingshan Holding Group is set to start developing an iron ore mine and a carbon steel plant in Zimbabwe from May,  Information and Publicity Minister Mrs. Monica Mutsvangwa said late on Tuesday, three years after the firm first announced the investment deal.

Tsingshan signed a $1-billion outline agreement with Zimbabwe in June 2018 to build a two-million-tonne-a-year steel plant and has been carrying out exploration and seeking more mineral concessions.

The Chinese company, through its Zimbabwean subsidiary Afrochine, already produces ferrochrome, which will also be used in the production of steel.

“The ground-breaking ceremony for the iron-ore mine and carbon steel plant is scheduled for May 2021 in Manhize, Mvuma (south of Harare)” Mutsvangwa said in a statement.

The government previously said Tsingshan would also build a power station and had been given a lithium concession.

China has over the past few years emerged as a major foreign investor in Zimbabwe, with its firms mostly involved in mining of gold, chrome and diamonds and building power stations.

Zimbabwe has set out an ambitious drive to increase revenue from mining to $12-billion by 2023 by increasing output of gold, platinum and diamonds, among other minerals. Last year, minerals earned the country $2.4-billion in exports.

Source: Mining weekly

Bloody confrontation fermenting between locals and Chinese Miners

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Bloody confrontation fermenting between locals and Chinese Miners

There is likely to be a bloody fight between the Chinese in the mining sector and locals if the government does not address rampant abuse allegations against Chinese employers on their employees in the mining sector, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

Rudairo Dickson Mapuranga

Chinese investors in Zimbabwe are infamous for ill-treating and undermining the rights of their co-workers or employees leading the general populace to despise them.

Relations between Zimbabwe and China have been strong as Harare continues to look East with biting sanctions from the West – the European Union and the United States.

However, due to some of the Chinese behaviour and approach in their way of doing business, the relations might be tainted by Zimbabwe who has developed abhorrence towards the Chinese doing business in the country.

Recently four Chinese nationals were attacked by artisanal miners following a misunderstanding over mining rights at Premier Estate outside Mutare on the 3rd of February. It is reported that a group of artisanal miners was working in a tunnel at a field belonging to a Mr. Zimunya when Chinese nationals from Zhong Jian Investments brought an excavator to fill the shaft, claiming that they had a permit to mine at Premier Estates. This angered the artisanal miners who summoned their colleagues working along Mutare River and they jointly attacked the Chinese nationals using an assortment of artisanal mining tools such as crowbars, picks and shovels while sparing the operator of the excavator – a Zimbabwean national. One of the Chinese men reportedly sustained three broken ribs, while another lost a finger as he tried to protect his face from a shovel attack. The condition of the other two is still unknown.

DINDE community members in Hwange are locked in a stand-off with a Chinese investor over the latter’s proposed coal exploration operations within their community, with villagers fighting to stop the operations. Villagers argue that the Chinese investors are in breach of environmental and customary laws of the country as they have not produced any documents granting them permission to work in the area nor engaged the community for a social license. The Chinese investors operating as Beifer Investments on the 5th of February 2021 moved to Dinde to start the work.

In June last year, a Chinese employer shot two workers at Reden mine in Gweru. The Zimbabwe Environmental Law Society (ZELA) at the time said, shooting of two Zimbabwean workers by the Chinese boss shows the “systematic and widespread” abuse that locals face in Chinese mining operations. The incident attracted condemnation globally as the news made headlines in global news channels.

CENTRE FOR NATURAL RESOURCE GOVERNANCE (CNRG) last year said it recorded cases of Chinese mining companies that assault employees and dismiss them from work whenever they report the assault cases to police. The organisation also reported that failure to pay workers’ salaries is now becoming part of some of the Chinese companies’ culture.

CNRG also reported a case of a Chinese national hitting a diamond worker with a hammer on the forehead in Marange and said the incident must mark a turning point where Never Again must these abuses be experienced by Zimbabweans in their own country.

Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) last year engaged the Chinese Ambassador regarding abuses of locals by some Chinese miners. In a statement, Zimbabwe’s biggest mining body said, “Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) Executive and Management Board has received numerous complaints from the artisanal and small-scale miners alleging ill-treatment and harassment at most Chinese mining operations in the country”.

According to Chrome Miners Association Chairperson Mr. Shelton Lucas, the behaviour of the Chinese towards their workers has been bad to reflect the friendship between Zimbabwe and China.

“Chinese people’s business approach in Zimbabwe is very bad in terms of their behaviour towards workers. They ill-treat people and the local communities. If livestock encroach during their mine jurisdiction they create an environment that is punitive for example exposure to cyanide waste that can wipe out the entire head. They put boom gates also in road servitudes, workers accommodation is not good and their operations don’t benefit anything to Zimbabwe’s GDP. There is no infrastructure developments and the government will be caught in between the hard surface and the hard rock because of some obligational concessions with the Chinese in form of aid this would perpetuate corporate bullying,” he said.

Norton Miners Association Chairperson, Mr Privelage Moyo said there was likely going to be a confrontation between Chinese investors and the local people a development that has negative effects on Zimbabwe-China friendship.

Moyo said the Chinese have been looting minerals from the country in the full view of citizens at the same time treating their workers shamefully, not mirroring our countries relations.

“There is likely to be a confrontation between the Chinese investor and the local people. That confrontation might affect Zimbabwe-China relations. We need to focus on business principles with fellow Chinese. Locals feel Chinese are stealing from them as they do not use proper channels of engagement and do not honour community ownership and share structure. The Chinese are also known not to respect traditional norms with some mining in sacred areas.

“The Chinese assisted us during the struggle, if they feel we have to repay, they should state the price. The Chinese feel powerful, they are not treating locals as friends. The Chinese are undermining the rights of the people, they don’t share the sentiment to what they did to us. Let’s look at each other as friends and partners and we do business that benefits everyone.” concluded Moyo.

In 2019 firebrand Norton Member of Parliament Temba Mliswa told the Epoch Times. “They [Chinese companies] don’t comply with our labour laws. They are causing environmental degradation, are violating human rights, and are involved in corruption. If Chinese investment is so good for Zimbabwe, why is the Zimbabwean economy still struggling?” Mliswa said.

“Our government has been signing deals with the Chinese, but at what cost? Some of these Chinese companies are not honest. They claim to be brick moulding when, in actual fact, they are mining gold. Our leadership is letting us down,” he said. Mliswa has vowed that “the days of Chinese companies in Zimbabwe are over,” adding, “God will command us to take back our resources.”

The Parliamentary Portfolio Chairperson on Mines and Mining Development Hon Edmond Mkaratigwa said his committee was going to engage the Minister to find a way forward to prevent a possible confrontation.

The confrontation in Mutare should not be taken lightly as can be a taste of things to come.

Rare earth unlocks key reaction in copper, gold, silver, uranium mineralization

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Rare earth unlocks key reaction in copper, gold, silver, uranium mineralization

Researchers at Australia’s Monash University found that the rare earth cerium affects the fate of a key reaction in copper, gold, silver, and uranium mineralization.

In a paper published in the journal Nature Communications, the scientists explain that, in the past, it was believed that ore fluids picked up some cerium on their way to giant deposits. Their findings, however, show that trace elements can have an important, yet difficult to predict, effect on the coupling between fluid flow, creation of porosity, and mineral dissolution and precipitation. This effect controls large-scale element mobility and rheology in the Earth’s crust.

SCIENTISTS TRIED TO REPRODUCE, IN THE LAB, THE PROCESSES THAT RESULTED IN THE CONCENTRATION OF MORE THAN A TRILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF METALS AT THE OLYMPIC DAM COPPER, GOLD AND URANIUM MINE

Cerium, in particular, plays an active role during the replacement of magnetite by hematite: it acts as a catalyst that speeds up the reaction; provides space for the precipitation of the value minerals; and promotes a positive feedback between reaction and fluid-flow, that contributes to increasing the metal endowment of the deposit.

“In order to discover new giant deposits and efficiently mine existing ones, we need a mechanistic understanding of the processes that form – and transform – the minerals that host valuable metals,” Joël Brugger, co-author of the study, said in a media statement.

“Although more recycling is an important part of raw materials’ future, we need more metals than the sum of those mined to date to resource the transition to a carbon-free economy.”

Brugger and his team conducted this research as part of the ‘Olympic Dam in a test tube’ project, where scientists tried to reproduce, in the laboratory, the processes that resulted in the concentration of more than a trillion dollars worth of metals at BHP’s (ASX, LON, NYSE: BHP) Olympic Dam copper, gold and uranium mine in South Australia.

Mining.com

Incorporate War veterans into Mining – Rushwaya

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Incorporate War veterans into Mining – Rushwaya

Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) President Ms. Henrietta Rushwaya has urged the government and small-scale and artisanal miners to incorporate war vets into the mining sector.

Rudairo Mapuranga

Speaking at an event in Insiza North where she donated mining equipment to women in the province, the ZMF boss said her organization was engaging miners so that they include women and war veterans when setting up syndicates to ensure all the people benefit from the country’s resources.

Rushwaya said that war vets can be instrumental in pushing for the President’s Vision for the country attaining an upper-middle-income economy by 2030 as well as the mining sector achieving US$12 BILLION annual income earning by 2023.

“The end game for this is we want you to boost production in line with what President Mnangagwa is saying under the 2023 mining sector target and expedite the attainment of an upper-middle-income economy even before 2030.

“As a Federation, we are engaging our male folk imploring them to include women in their syndicates and war veterans so that everybody can benefit from our natural endorsement.

“For war veterans, it’s even compelling because these are our liberators who sacrificed so that we enjoy the benefits of mining and they have to benefit by being incorporated into the mainstream economy,” Rushwaya said.

The ZMF boss also noted that there are mining assets that are being repossessed by the government under the “Use it or lose it” principle and said the miners’ body will soon make recommendations to the government to have women and war veterans prioritised in their redistribution.

She also said the Federation hoped that the government will continue prioritising locals in small-scale mining, which requires less capital injection most of which can be mobilised by locals as opposed to conglomerate mining that needs a huge capital injection.

The government on its part has already taken the lead in so far as the empowerment of women and war veterans as far as the mining sector is concerned.

War veterans are part of interest groups expected to benefit from proceeds of the newly formed mining giant Kuvimba Mining House, which is a joint venture between the government and a consortium of investors.

The ZMF President also urged the government to prioritize small-scale and artisanal mining that it be reserved for local miners to allow growth and empowerment of local people.

“Foreigners should not be allowed into small scale mining, the law should spell that 50 hectares and below of mining land should be reserved for locals. Foreign investors should be willing to invest more money than locals” Rushwaya concluded.

Rushwaya donates equipment to Shangani Women Miners

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Rushwaya donates equipment to Shangani Women Miners

Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) President Ms Henrietta Rushwaya on Saturday donated mining equipment and consumables to women miners in Insiza to help increase production in line with the President’s vision for the mining sector achieving US$12 BILLION annually by 2023.

Rudairo Mapuranga

The Federation President donated mining equipment and consumables that includes compressors, generators, explosives and other consumables to Shangani Women Miners Association in Matabeleland South Province.

Rushwaya sourced equipment from Friends and partners and the equipment is being distributed to miners across the country to help them mechanise their operations and maximise production to help the sector attain President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s vision for the sector achieving a US$12 Billion industry by 2023.

Speaking at a handover ceremony held in Insiza on Saturday, the ZMF boss said the Federation was distributing equipment and consumables to help improve productivity.

“Here we are leaving a compressor because it is one of the main gaps we thought you have as you seek to boost your operations,” Rushwaya said to a group of women miners in Insiza.

“We are giving you a compressor to start with and if you feel you have other needs, you can request for assistance just as you have previously done. The end game for this is we want you to boost production in line with what His Excellency is saying under the 2023 mining sector target and expedite the attainment of an upper-middle-income economy even before 2030,” Ms Henrietta Rushwaya said.

She also said the federation hoped that Government will continue prioritising locals in small-scale mining, which requires less capital injection most of which can be mobilised by locals as opposed to conglomerate mining that needs a huge capital injection.

The event was attended by District Administrator Mr. Jusa Zachariah, Chief Jahana, Insiza senator Ms Molly Mpofu, Shangani Women Miners and their chairperson Sikholisiwe Mandityira among others.

Miners urged to prioritize the development of communities

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Miners urged to prioritize the development of communities

Small scale and artisanal miners have been urged to embrace and prioritise the development and growth of the communities they are operating in as a way of giving back to the community.

Rudairo Dickson Mapuranga

Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) President Ms Henrietta Rushwaya made the call at the weekend where she donated mining equipment and consumables that include compressors, generators and explosives to women miners in Insiza North.

The ZMF boss sourced equipment from friends and partners. The equipment is being distributed to miners across the country to help them mechanise their operations to maximize production as well as improve the formalisation of the sector leading to growth and development.

Small scale and artisanal miners are playing a leading role in economic turnaround and development accounting for an average of 60 percent of gold and chrome submissions in the country.

Ms Rushwaya said miners should not leave the role of community development to District Administrators and Councillors but should be at the centre stage making sure that community needs are met through their involvement.

She also urged miners to air their grievances and challenges in a formalised and organised manner so that their stories can be heard and addressed quickly and efficiently.

“As miners, we should develop our environment and communities, let was not leave the DA and Chiefs alone moving with community development agendas, let us be on the centre stage developing our communities.

“WhatsApp and Twitter will never bring development, engage the councillors, DA, local MPs and Senators because complaining and crying on social media will never give intended results, engagement is key towards development,” she said.

The ZMF boss also encouraged membership and the government to consider special interest groups such as women, youth and war vets in mining ventures.

She said that her organization was making recommendations to the government to make sure that mining assets that are being repossessed by the Government under the ” Use it or lose it” principle prioritized in distribution to war veterans and women.

Rushwaya also said that the Federation was engaging the government in an effort to have small-scale mining strictly reserved to locals.

ZMF calls a Special General Council Meeting

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ZMF calls a Special General Council Meeting

Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) has called for a general meeting in an endeavour to drive the small-scale and artisanal miners’ regulation and formalization exercise.

Rudairo Dickson Mapuranga

In a notice to members, ZMF Secretary-General Mr. Morgan Mugawu said the meeting will also discuss the amendment of the ZMF constitution as per the direction of the Special General Council Meeting held in 2019.

“You are cordially invited to attend a Special General Council Meeting to be held in Harare on the 16th of March 2021. The main agenda of the meeting is the amendment of The Zimbabwe Miners Federation Constitution pursuant to a resolution to that effect that was passed at a second Special General Council Meeting held in Kwekwe on the 11th of April 2019. Due to Covid-19 Restrictions please be advised that only 2 members from each association are invited.” he said.

The Federation is also going to discuss pertinent issues aimed at maximising mineral production to help the country become an upper-middle-income earner by 2030.

Small scale and artisanal miners are key players for the country to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s vision for the mining sector to achieve a US$12 Billion industry by 2023 as evidenced by the factor that the miners account for 60 percent of official gold submissions delivered to the country’s sole gold buyer and exporter, Fidelity Printers and Refiners (FPR).

The government has reiterated the importance of the small-scale mining sector to the country’s mining sector strategy as some rich mineral deposits are more amenable to small-scale mining than conglomerate mining.

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