Open-pit mining is used when deposits of commercially useful minerals or rock are found near the surface of the land or if a normal tunnel-type of mine is not possible to undertake.
Metallon Gold Corporate Affairs executive, Zenzo Nsimbi, said the opening of the mine was meant to augment ore supply from underground mining operations.
“Metallon Gold proposes to resuscitate an open pit mining project at How Mine,” said Nsimbi in a statement.
“The pit is within the existing mining lease and is meant to augment ore supply from underground mining operations.”
Nsimbi said the project would take-off once the company, which is owned by South African mining magnate, Mzi Khumalo, obtains an Environment Impact Assessment certificate (EIA) after a one-week stakeholder consultative process.
“Stakeholder consultation is an integral part of the EIA process and Metallon Gold hereby invites comments on the project from affected or interested parties,” said Nsimbi.
“Some of the potential impacts associated with this project include blasting vibrations and noise, vegetation destruction, resultant open pit, waste rock and overburden disposal and dust, along with other impacts.”
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Metallon has five gold mines in Zimbabwe but only two, its flagship How Mine and the Shamva Mine, are currently producing gold and operating at around 80% capacity.
Of the three mines that are non-operational, Arcturus and Mazowe are partially flooded and are expected to commence full production within six months.
Redwing Mine may operate within 12 months.
Metallon closed all its mines in 2008 at the height of the economic crisis but resumed operations in July 2009.
The country expects output of the precious mineral to increase by 35% to 15 tonnes by year-end on the basis of improved access to funding.
