Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve in Hwange
HWANGE Colliery Company Limited (HCCL) is undergoing a radical transformation from a traditional coal miner into a multi-faceted industrial park, a move set to unlock massive value addition and bolster the national economy.
The strategic shift, which has already attracted over US$70 million in investment through key partnerships, moves the company decisively away from its old model of mining and selling raw coal.
It now focuses on beneficiating the resource into high-value products such as coke, cement, bitumen and coal gas, driving profitability and creating much-needed employment.
The ambitious plans came to light during a tour of the facility last week by Vice-President, Dr Constantino Chiwenga, who was briefed by the company’s administrator, Mr Munashe Shava.
The physical evidence of this rebirth is already visible on the ground.
The company’s Coal Washing Plant is primed for commissioning and the once-dormant coke oven battery has been successfully fired up, signalling the start of a new production era.
A cornerstone of this transformation is the strategic partnership between HCCL and Chinese firm, Zhong Xia, at the key mine formerly known as 3 Main North.
The joint venture has injected more than US$60 million into state-of-the-art equipment, including road headers, continuous miners and long-haul mining systems featuring shearers and armoured face conveyors.
The modernisation drive is set to yield a dramatic increase in output.
While the mine currently produces around 50 000 tonnes per month, the commissioning of advanced long wire equipment is projected to catapult production to over 200 000 tonnes per month by next year.
Outlining the grand vision, Mr Shava revealed that the ultimate goal is to create a fully integrated industrial park on the colliery’s premises.
“We want to have an industrial park. We have the washing plant, which we are commissioning, the coke oven battery where we are going to also get gas for power generation and also tar (bitumen).
“There are going to be by-products, which we are going to beneficiate. We want to produce cement as well from gypsum, which is one of the by-products,” said Mr Shava.
He emphasised that the resuscitation of the coke oven battery was a critical first step in reclaiming the company’s place in the value chain.
“We realised that we cannot be a mine that is known for just mining and selling raw coal. We needed to be part of the value chain and participants and as such we took it upon ourselves to resuscitate our coke oven battery,” he said.
While this initial phase will produce 20 000 tonnes of coke monthly, Mr Shava said there are plans to scale up operations four or fivefold to fully utilise the colliery’s vast coal resources, expressing excitement that the project was delivered on time and within budget.
The scale and speed of the colliery’s revival impressed Vice-President Chiwenga, who hailed the leadership for their strategic acumen.
“I am quite thrilled, very happy, very relieved to see Hwange Colliery now on its feet. I think everyone had almost lost hope in the country about the revival with such a terrific speed that we have seen now,” said Vice-President Chiwenga.
“I think the team here at the present moment, led by Mr Shava have done a wonderful job. The briefing that they have given us and the tour that I have just completed, I think clearly shows that Hwange is now back, back on its feet.”
VP Chiwenga specifically praised the cost-effective refurbishment of the coke oven battery, a project initially quoted at US$50 million but completed for just US$7,5 million.
“Saving over 43 million dollars is not a joke and now it’s working. This is what we want to see, strategic thinking mindset of our leadership,” he said.
While acknowledging that current production volumes are a starting point, the Vice-President expressed confidence in the company’s roadmap.
“We are now on the right track. There is a high demand for coking coal and all what we now need to do is to make sure they implement the construction of new coking batteries that will meet the demand,” he said.
VP Chiwenga urged the company to aggressively market its new suite of products, both regionally and internationally, signalling Government support for the venture.
By turning raw coal into a portfolio of high-demand products, the company is not just securing its own future but is positioning itself as a key engine for national economic growth, job creation and import substitution.
The once-struggling miner is now charting a course to become a cornerstone of Zimbabwe’s industrial might.
