Mimosa Mining Company reported a slight decline in quarterly production for the period ended 31 March 2026, as ongoing power interruptions and complex geology weighed on output at the Zvishavane-based platinum group metals operation, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Ryan Chigoche
The joint venture between Impala Platinum Holdings and Sibanye-Stillwater saw milled volumes fall 1% to 688,000 tonnes from 695,000 tonnes in the prior comparable quarter, reflecting intermittent regional electricity disruptions that continued to affect plant stability and constrain steady-state operations.
Milled 6E head grade declined 2% to 3.55 g/t, impacted by changing ore mineralogy and more structurally complex ground conditions as the mine progresses laterally into mature sections of the orebody. 6E concentrate production slipped 2% to 58,000 ounces as recoveries and process stability were intermittently affected by both power interruptions and feed variability.
The asset is also moving further along its natural mine-life cycle, with progressively laterally deeper and more complex ore zones reflecting the broader geological maturity of the operation. This aligns with a wider trend across legacy platinum assets, where orebody depletion and increasing mining complexity begin to influence grade stability and operational flexibility.
Despite quarterly pressure, year-to-date performance remained broadly stable. For the nine months ended 31 March 2026, milled throughput held steady at 2.16 million tonnes, supported by consistent mining activity across the period.
6E head grade declined 1% to 3.58 g/t over the nine-month period, while 6E concentrate production fell 4% to 181,000 ounces, reflecting lower grades and intermittent operational disruptions linked to power supply constraints and ore variability.
The outlook for Mimosa reflects the geological realities confronting established mining houses globally, where declining ore grades and increasing depth of mining are driving a structural shift in operating models.
Against this backdrop, the company has framed the anticipated production moderation as a strategic inflection point, prompting a refreshed approach anchored on simplification, operational excellence, and disciplined capital allocation aimed at sustaining value creation despite gradually moderating volumes.
