adminBulawayo Bureau
VICE PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has implored the Zimbabwe Mining and Smelting Company (Zimasco) and ZimAlloys to use the chrome ore reserves they have across the country or risk losing them. Addressing people gathered for the official opening of Dazzle Superstore in Kwekwe on Friday, Cde Mnangagwa said Zimasco and Zim Alloys had chrome ore reserves throughout the country which he said were not being exploited.
He said following the lifting of the ban on chrome exports by the government recently and the opening up of chrome markets in China , there was a need to maximise on all ore reserves in the country.
VP Mnangagwa said in that regard, Zimasco and ZimAlloys should use their chrome ore reserves or risk losing them.
“Zimasco and Zim Alloys have chrome ore reserves across the country and we are saying use the reserves or lose them. If they don’t use the chrome ore reserves we are going to take them away from them and give players willing to exploit the natural resource,” he said.
VP Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe had huge chrome ore reserves which he said would take many years to exhaust.
“We have identified markets in China that want chrome and we are going to assist even the small-scale miners to reach such markets,” said VP Mnangagwa.
He said the government lifted the ban on the export of chrome ore and volumes of up to 30 million tonnes will be exported to enable the sector to mobilise financial resources and invest in technology.
Chrome ore exports were banned in 2011 to promote value addition and the ban impacted negatively on small-scale producers.
Online Reporter