There are some major investments underway in Zimbabwe’s platinum industry. In its Q3 2018 results recently, Zimplats stated that the installation of the new north underground crusher and the ore-conveyancing system at Bimha mine were completed during the quarter while the south underground crusher and ore-conveyancing system are scheduled for commissioning in May 2019. A total of $72 million had been spent as at 30 September 2018 for this project against a budget of $101 million.
Elsewhere, the development of Mupani mine (the replacement for Ngwarati and Rukodzi mines) is ahead of schedule, targeting ore contact by August 2019 and full production in August 2025. A total of $46 million had been spent as at 30 September 2018 against an approved total project budget of $264
million.
For existing production, the mines performed well during the quarter producing 4% more than the previous quarter, with all mines operating at design capacity. In the previous quarter, Bimha mine
was still ramping up production. Tonnes milled increased by 6% from the previous quarter due to higher running time. Running time for the previous quarter was impacted by planned mill reline shutdowns. The 4E head grade was maintained at 3.23 g/t. The furnace operated well during the quarter, smelting 34,600 t of concentrate, 10% up from the 31,434 t smelted in the previous quarter. This increase was largely due to higher smelter availability rates, with the previous quarter’s availability rates impacted by the planned seven- day tap block inspection shutdown in May 2018. Overall, 4E metal production in final product increased by 7% from the previous quarter, in line with the increase in the volume of ore milled.
