Chronicle Editor
Harare Bureau
The first open pit blast has been successfully detonated at Eureka Gold Mine ahead of production resumption, Dallaglio Investments has said.
Eureka Gold Mine is one of the several previously dormant mining assets that have benefited from the New Dispensation’s call for investment under President Mnangagwa’s Zimbabwe is open for business drive.
Reconstruction works at the mine were commissioned by the President in 2018 as part of a grand strategy to maximise on the country’s economic endowment and driving the economy towards an upper-middle income economy by 2030.
Since then, Dallaglio Investments have splurged millions in a bid to return the mine to full production which is expected to start in the third quarter of this year.
In an interview with The Herald Finance and Business, Dallaglio Investments’ Business Improvements Specialist Loveness Chiyanike, said the successful blast marks a huge milestone in the mine construction.
Ms Chiyanike also expressed confidence that the mine is on course to achieve its reopening timeframe this year a development that will go a long way towards the attainment of the mining sector’s US$12 billion 2023 milestone.
“We have had our first blast (at Eureka) and we are really excited about it,” said Ms Chiyanike.
“We are still inspecting the pit and we have so far observed that it went well and we are looking forward to having our second blast on Saturday.
“Everything around the reopening is going on as planned and its exciting times ahead for us,” she said.
Eureka was forced to shut operations after running into viability problems two decades ago with capital at the centre of the mine’s troubles.
The first blast was preceded by the delivery of two state of the art heavy duty gold mills on site in February. Dallaglio Investments’ splurging of capital into Eureka comes as the miner has confirmed that exploration week have shown that the mine has a resource base worth over US$1 billion.
The expected resumption of full production at Eureka could see Daglallio — which also owns Pickstone Peerless Mine near Chegutu — boost its production to about 4 tonnes per annum.
Online Reporter