Unki Mine, Zimbabwe’s third-largest platinum group metals (PGM) producer, recorded a 15% drop in production in the first quarter of 2025, delivering 53,600 ounces, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Rudairo Mapuranga
The decrease, according to Anglo American Platinum’s Q1 2025 production report, was largely expected and stemmed from multiple operational challenges, including lower-grade ore in the current mining area, reduced metal recoveries, and the impact of a five-day planned plant maintenance shutdown. The shutdown, aimed at preventive upkeep, reduced volumes milled during the quarter. Unlike the previous year, where similar maintenance was scheduled in the second quarter, this year’s early intervention impacted Q1 figures directly.
This latest dip in production follows a trend observed in the latter half of 2024. Unki had already shown signs of strain in Q4 2024, with a 2% decline in production to 60,300 ounces due to a three-day national power outage that disrupted operations. Prior to that, in Q2 2024, Unki saw a 7% drop in PGM output to 54,700 ounces, driven by mining through a lower-grade zone. Platinum output during that quarter also declined by 9% to 25,700 ounces compared to Q2 2023.
Despite these setbacks, Anglo American Platinum, Unki’s parent company, has maintained its long-term confidence in the mine’s strategic role within its global operations. In his previous remarks, Amplats CEO Craig Miller reaffirmed the company’s dedication to operational excellence and workforce safety, stating, “We are resolute in our commitment to eliminate fatalities from our workplace and ensure zero harm becomes a daily reality.”
Amplats as a whole reported a 6% drop in total PGM production in Q4 2024, amounting to 875,700 ounces. However, own-mined production increased by 1% across other stable operations, signalling resilience despite broader challenges. Unki, in particular, demonstrated recovery momentum post-Q2, contributing to a more stable Q4.
Furthermore, Unki has been instrumental in Amplats’ growing nickel output, contributing to a 20% rise in total nickel production to 7,300 tonnes in Q2 2024. This highlights the mine’s diverse metallurgical contributions even amid fluctuating PGM prices. The 37% collapse in rhodium prices during Q2 2024 has placed additional financial pressure on the PGM sector, but Unki’s consistent operational delivery underscores its critical importance in weathering market turbulence.
As Amplats moves through 2025, all eyes will be on how Unki responds in the second quarter and beyond. With proactive maintenance measures completed and ore body transitions underway, the mine remains central to the group’s ambitions of production stability and long-term sustainability in Zimbabwe’s PGM landscape.
