Mining industry on right path — Govt
THE mining industry is on the right path and has made significant progress towards attaining a US$12 billion industry by 2023, with key contributors making huge strides in the production matrix.
Government envisages a US$12 billion mining industry by 2023 with gold, platinum group metals, hydrocarbons like oil and gas, coal, gold, lithium, chrome and ferrochrome driving the growth.
The thrust will be characterised by optimum investment and output levels in all minerals.
In an interview on the sidelines of the ongoing annual mining indaba hosted by the Chamber of Mines here, Mines and Mining Development Minister Winston Chitando said all key sectors had made significant progress in production.
“We are quite advanced towards achievement of the US$12 billion mining industry by 2023 and we are really on track towards the target in terms of major contributors. All that is going to be discussed for review at the conference which is going to be officially opened by His Excellency President Mnangagwa,” said Minister Chitando.
He said there are huge developments in the gold sector with many projects underway such as Caledonia which signed an agreement with Government to produce over 15 tonnes of gold by 2030, while Eureka, and Shamva will be producing over five tonnes.
The 2023 milestones are premised on gold contributing over 100 tonnes, and the small-scale gold producers also have a part to play, said the minister.
The small-scale mining industry is involved in gold, chrome and gemstones production.
On the platinum side, Minister Chitando said Unki Mine, Zimplats and Mimosa are all expanding to increase capacity.
He said there are entrants who will also be making significant developments.
The Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company has so far produced over a million carats of diamonds while other players like Murowa have announced expansion programmes.
There will be new mining developments for diamond mining in Tsholotsho in the next months, Minister Chitando said.
He said ZimAlloys, Zimasco and other upcoming players will be making significant contributions in the ferrochrome sector feeding into the consolidated carbon steel production.
Minister Chitando said the coal industry is poised for huge strides as there is immense capacity by a number of projects which President Mnangagwa toured last year.
He said one of them is Dinson Colliery which recently inaugurated a 150 000 per annum coke production and is working on a second coke battery while civil works have started on the one million tonnes per annum coke battery which will be the biggest in Africa.
The minister said all these projects are ongoing and point to the attainment of a US$12 billion mining industry by 2023.
The mining indaba is being held under the theme: “Navigating turbulent times — Sustaining growth of the mining industry beyond Covid-19.”
An Oil and Gas Symposium with the theme “Revealing Zimbabwe’s Old and Gas potential” was held in the morning followed by a platinum beneficiation symposium in the afternoon.
Minister Chitando said Zimbabwe is poised to be a net exporter of electricity from oil and gas and also have its own platinum refineries.
He said these were the discussions around the two symposiums and “the long and short of a report from an expert is that it is feasible and it makes sense, we will walk together with platinum producers.”