BULAWAYO — Zimbabwe has projected a 15% increase in mineral output this year buoyed by an increase in mining houses’ capacity utilisation, a cabinet minister said last week. Addressing a business conference at the just ended Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) last week, Mines and Mining Development Minister Obert Mpofu, said the increase in production would push minerals exports to 51% of total output.
“The mining sector is projected to realise a 15% increase in output,” he said.
“This is against a decline of 23% in 2008. We envisage that Zimbabwe will have mineral exports of about 51% of the total output. This represents a 28% increase from the 2008 levels.”
Mpofu said the gold sector was expected to produce 7 000 kg of the precious mineral, up from the 2000 kg produced in 2009.
“This is attributed to the developments at Freda Rebecca Mine, Metallon Gold and Vumbachikwe Gold mines where production levels have increased to satisfactory levels,” Mpofu said.
The platinum mining sector is expected to produce 7 800 tonnes in 2010, a development Mpofu attributed to increased investment expected to be channelled by shareholders at Unki Mine towards the end of the year.
There are currently drilling activities by a new investor in the sector, a move that is also expected to increase output.
The nickel sector, Mpofu said, was expected to have very little activity following the closure of the Bindura Nickel Mine in 2008.
“We expected that the sector would increase its output from the 4 858 kg to about 6 000 tonnes.
“Given that the Bindura Nickel Mine was closed down in 2008, we envisage that the company will once again find its feet and return to production by the end of June 2010,” he said.
Chrome production is
also set to grow following the re-commissioning of the Zimbabwe Mining and Smelting Company plant later this year.
Mpofu said the re-capitalisation of the Hwange Colliery Company might see coal output increasing by 20%.
The 51st edition of the ZITF was held under the theme “Unlocking Investment Potential.”

BY NKULULEKO SIBANDA

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