The 29th of March 2022 saw the debut of the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development‘s Mining Excellence Awards.
The colourful ceremony saw the gathering of the Mining Industry’s finest players who were rewarded for excelling in different categories of the mining sector. Timelison Media‘s Mining Zimbabwe got the Best Artisanal and Small-scale Mining Media Award at the ceremony held at State House.
High-level attendees included President Mnangagwa, Vice President Chiwenga, Minister of Mines and Mining Development and his Deputy, ZMF President Ms Henrietta Rushwaya, Mines Portfolio Committee chairman Hon Edmond Mkaratigwa, MMCZ GM Mr Tongai Muzenda, Fidelity Gold Refiners General Manager Magaramombe among others.
The following were the winners of the 2021 Inaugural Mining Excellence Awards.
MINISTER’S AWARD : TSINGSHAN HOLDINGS
Tsingshan Group through its subsidiary Dinson Iron and Steel Company (DISCO) is currently establishing a Carbon Steel Plant in Chivhu-Mvuma. The Carbon Steel Plant is set to be the largest in Zimbabwe and possibly in the region, with its establishment undoubtedly going to greatly impact on the human settlement patterns in the area. The steel plant will produce 1.2 million tonnes of carbon steel per annum. It links with projects in Dinson Colliery in Hwange (Coke Project) and Afrochine Smelting in Selous (Ferrochrome Project) in line with the MoU signed with the Government of Zimbabwe after the President’s visit to China in 2018.
GOLD PRODUCER OF THE YEAR: FREDA REBECCA GOLD MINE (PVT) LTD
Freda Rebecca is a Leading Gold Producer in Zimbabwe and a key contributor to the USD 4 Billion Gold Industry by 2023. Freda Rebecca Gold Mine specializes in the extraction, purification and value addition of gold.
MOST IMPROVED GOLD PRODUCER OF THE YEAR AWARD: HOW MINE
How Mine is situated in the Bulawayo Greenstone Belt. How Mine has been in operation since 1942 and has produced over 1.1 million ounces of gold to date. How Mine is reaping the benefits of a USD5 Million Investment in a Shaft Sinking Project commissioned in 2020. How Mine is currently undertaking exploration, both on surface and underground, inorder to open up the resource base for expansion.
BEST SAFETY HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT PROGRAM: ZIMSHEC
ZIMSHEC is an organization founded by small scale and artisanal miners in Zimbabwe to promote occupational health and safety, environmentally friendly and sustainable mining practices as well as reduce the number of people trapped in mines due to poor mining practices. The organization was launched on the 10th of September 2021 inspired by several trainings undertaken by the ZELA with support from Christian Aid.
FERROCHROME PRODUCER OF THE YEAR: AFROCHINE SMELTING
Afrochine Smelting (Pvt) Ltd was established in 2012 and is a subsidiary of Chinese firm called the Tsingshan Group. Afrochine is a leading producer of High Carbon Ferrochrome in Zimbabwe. The company is currently operating 5 state of the art Ferrochrome Smelting Plants in Selous, Mashonaland West.
MOST IMPROVED FERROCHROME PRODUCER OF THE YEAR: JINYI ENTERPRISES (PVT) LTD
Jin Yi (Pvt) Ltd is a ferrochrome producer that will establish 2 sets of smelting furnaces in 2022 and export 3 thousand tonnes per month of High Carbon Ferrochrome from February 2023.
COAL PRODUCER OF THE YEAR: ZAMBEZI GAS (PVT) LTD
Zambezi Gas Zimbabwe (Pvt) Ltd is a wholly-owned Zimbabwean private limited company operating in the coal mining and coalbed methane exploration industry since its incorporation on August 1st, 2002. Zambezi Gas explores, mine, process and market coal, coke and their associated by-products. In 2021, Zambezi Gas purchased 2 excavators and 6, 100 tonne dump trucks which will boost production after self-mining commences. A total of USD 10 million was invested in the new equipment.
MOST IMPROVED COAL PRODUCER OF THE YEAR: ZHONG JIAN
Zhong Jian is a leading coal mining company in Hwange, Matebeleland North. In 2021, Zhong Jian commenced construction of a coke battery of 300 000 tonnes per year capacity. The Coke Oven Batter is expected to contribute significantly to the value addition of coal to coke
COKE PRODUCER OF THE YEAR: SOUTH MINING (PVT) LTD
South Mining‘s expansion project was officially opened by His Excellency The President Cde Dr. E.D Mnangagwa on the 16th of July 2020. The construction of Phase 2 Coke Batteries with an additional 140 000 tonnes per annum capacity commenced in 2021 and is expected to be completed by Quarter 2 2022.
MOST IMPROVED COKE PRODUCER OF THE YEAR: SOUTH MINING (PVT) LTD
South Mining is one of the leading coke producers in Zimbabwe. Two Coke Oven Batteries are currently in operation with a capacity of 12000 tonnes per month each.
PGMS PRODUCER OF THE YEAR: ZIMPLATS (PVT) LTD
ZIMPLATS is a leading mining company in Zimbabwe specializing in Platinum Group Metals such as platinum, palladium, rhodium, iridium, ruthenium and osmium. ZIMPLATS signed a memorandum of understanding with the Government of Zimbabwe in 2021 that will see the company invest USD1.8 billion to expand its operations by the year 2025.
MOST IMPROVED PGMS PRODUCER OF THE YEAR: UNKI MINES
Development of the underground operations at Unki Mines commenced in 2008 with production from the concentrator starting in late 2010. Milling name plate capacity of 120,000 tonnes per month was achieved during 2011. Since then, production has been increasing due to optimization of underground teams’ operational performance and mineral processing capacity improvements. Unki Mines developed an employee residential scheme together with amenities and a school at the Impali housing scheme in Shurugwi which caters for its production crews. Unki Mines installed smelting facilities 2018 in response to government call for local beneficiation and value addition which saw the conversion of concentrates into matte before export. By 2019 Unki Mines underground production had increased to 180 000 tonnes per month. A concentrator expansion to 210,000 tonnes per month was commenced in 2020 and was completed in late 2021. Anglo American Platinum has invested in excess of USD 560 million in developing mine, concentrator, smelter and employee housing. Unki achieved IRMA 75 in 2021 becoming the first mine in the world to assessed by Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA).
DIAMOND PRODUCER OF THE YEAR: RIOZIM MUROWA DIAMONDS (PVT) LTD
RZM Murowa is one of the leading private limited diamond mines in Zimbabwe, operating a 24-hour open-pit mine situated in Ward 18 of Runde Rural District Council in the Zvishavane District of Zimbabwe. Operations are sorely based in Zimbabwe with the Headquarters located at Newlands in Harare
Since beginning production in 2004, RZM Murowa’s current name-plate capacity is approximately 1.2 million carats per annum of predominantly white, gem-quality diamonds. In 2015 RioZim took over the management of Murowa at a time the company had stopped mining sighting viability issues. RioZim led a strategic overhaul exercise for the Company which resulted in a radical change in its business by steering it to a new life of mine plan, new approach to mining and a massive brownfield expansion of the plant code-named ‘Project Sunrise’. After having more than tripled its capacity in 2016, RZM Murowa today is a global top 10 diamond mine enabling it to become one of the biggest exporters and foreign currency generators for Zimbabwe.
In 2019, the RZM Murowa Board approved a 500 tonne per hour expansion project code-named Project Crown Jewel (PCJ). The project will see the company process all ore sources on-site, namely K1, K2, K3, low-grade ore and re-crush stockpiles to maximise diamond recovery. Despite the delays caused by Covid-19, the project has presented many opportunities including the employment of 679 local people to support the various work streams. PCJ will be commissioned in the second quarter of 2022. Running concurrently with PCJ are an Underground and Exploration growth programmes that will increase the Life of Mine of the business.
RZM Murowa is “more than diamonds” as it’s making a significant impact in the country that goes way beyond producing diamonds. The Company is firmly committed to building a sustainable legacy that will improve the economy and lives in our communities, region and country. This is achieved through royalty, tax contributions, initiatives and robust sustainable development projects. Our successes to date lie in a highly skilled workforce of over 1000 in strength and shareholder support in ensuring that the company continues on its journey into the future. The business is certified to three ISO standards namely 14001: 2015 attained in 2008, 45001: 2018 attained in 2019 and 9001:2015 attained in 2021.
International Memberships
Kimberly Process Certification Scheme
Natural Diamond Council
Responsible Jewellery Council
Rapnet
Local Memberships
- Business Council for Sustainable Development Zimbabwe
- Employers’ Confederation of Zimbabwe
- Zimbabwe Chamber of Mines
Belonging to the various industry bodies and being an affiliate to International bodies allows RZM Murowa to add its voice to the important diamond industry discussions and sustainable world-class practices.
DIAMOND EXPORTER OF THE YEAR: ZIMBABWE CONSOLIDATED DIAMOND COMPANY (PVT) LTD
The Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (Pvt) Ltd (ZCDC) is wholly owned by the Government of Zimbabwe through the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development. It holds special diamond grants in Chiadzwa and Chimanimani.
ZCDC started operations in March 2016 following the Government’s policy on the consolidation of diamond mines in the country. The consolidation policy sought to ensure transparency, accountability and global marketing of the country’s diamonds.
However, for the past 4 years to 2020, ZCDC had been making perennial financial losses, a situation which has since been reversed during the 2021 financial year. With a focused, dedicated, and formidable leadership team, the year 2021 became the first-ever financial year whereupon ZCDC declared a profit. This was all due to a cocktail of technical and business interventions related to changing processes, technology, employee mind-set to turn around the company’s fortunes.
In 2021, ZCDC exceeded its diamond production target by a whooping 30%, a feat which was achieved with a 50% reduction in the cost of doing business. Currently, Portal A in Chiadzwa which has an estimated life of mine of at least 8 years is the producing mine. The company is currently conducting extensive exploration and evaluation programs countrywide.
Regarding community development, ZCDC is carrying out focused and sustainable community development initiatives and constant engagement through implementation in line with the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) standard. The diamond company is on an upward trajectory of achieving its aspirations of becoming a World-Class Diamond Producer for the long-term benefit of the nation.
THE CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY PROGRAM OF THE YEAR : MIMOSA MINING COMPANY
Mimosa Mine is carrying out various projects to increase process efficiency. A concentrate handling facility to use a bulk loading bunker was commissioned in 2021. The company is also working on process optimization project to improve recovery from the metallurgical plant. A number of Corporate Social Responsibility Projects were done in 2021 including Livestock Revitalization – artificial insemination and bull donations, building local bridges, boreholes and gardening projects. This will all target increasing revenue and helping the nation attain a USD12 Billion mining economy.
MINING MEDIA AWARD OF THE YEAR: ALPHA MEDIA HOLDINGS (PVT) LTD
Alpha Media Holdings (AMH) is a leading media company in Zimbabwe that publishes newspapers and internet publications. Alpha Media Holdings has four newspapers: The Zimbabwe Independent, a business weekly published every Friday, The Standard, a weekly published every Sunday, and Newsday, Southern Eye – daily newspapers. Each newspaper has an online edition. In addition to that Alpha Media publishes MyClassifieds, an online classifieds platform.
BEST GOLD BUYER OF THE YEAR: BETTER BRANDS (PVT) LTD
Better Brands (Pvt) Ltd, is a leading gold buying agent in Zimbabwe. The company remains honoured by the Government’s empowerment programmes and challenged by His Excellency’s mining sector targets. Better Brands is a key player in the Government’s target to increase the annual gold deliveries to 100 tonnes by 2023.
BEST COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY PROGRAMS: MASVINGO PEOPLE LIVING WITH DISABILITIES IN MINING
SMALL SCALE GOLD PRODUCER OF THE YEAR: MAG MAC MINE (PVT) LTD
Mag Mac Mine (Pvt) Ltd was the leading Small Scale Gold Producer in Zimbabwe in 2021. In 2021, Mag Mac Mine delivered a total of 75.7122 kg of gold.
BEST ARTISANAL AND SMALL-SCALE MINERS MEDIA AWARDS: MINING ZIMBABWE
Mining Zimbabwe is a leading publication whose core focus is Zimbabwe’s Mining Industry, Mining News, trends, new technologies being developed and used to improve the sector, as well as new opportunities and investments.
MOST IMPROVED SMALL SCALE GOLD PRODUCER OF THE YEAR: ULTRA-POWER INVESTMENTS (PVT) LTD
Ultra-Power Investments (Pvt) Ltd was the most improved small scale gold producer in 2021. A total of 18.0187kg of gold was delivered in 2021 compared to 13.1294kg in 2020 representing a 37.2% increase.