Mimosa to up production

Munyaradzi Musiiwa Midlands Correspondent
ZVISHAVANE-based platinum mine, Mimosa, is set to increase its production to 270 000 tonnes per month from 230 000 tonnes which the company is producing.

In an interview during a media tour of the mine on Monday, Mimosa manager Mr Lloyd Shamu said the company was set to increase its production capacity in the next few months.

“We are currently producing 230 000 tonnes a month,” he said.

“We want to increase our production to 270 000 tonnes a month.”

Mr Shamu said the company was conducting mineral exploration to increase its lifespan.

The company is producing 2,9 million tonnes of platinum per year.

Mr Shamu said the country had 2,8 billion tonnes of platinum deposits and Mimosa had 124 million.

“As its stands, we have a lifespan of 30 years,” he said. “In Zvishavane, we have 124 million tonnes of platinum deposits, in Shurugwi there are 284 million tonnes and in Ngezi there are 2,4 billion tonnes of platinum deposits. At the moment we are extracting 2,9 million tonnes per year.

“We are conducting mineral exploration of possible prospects of expanding the mine. At the moment we have the least deposits of platinum in the country.”

Mimosa Mine, which was established in 1926 and is jointly owned by Implats and Sibanye who have 50 percent stake apiece has a staff complement of close to 3 000.

The company on the other hand has embarked on various corporate social responsibility projects that include the refurbishment of Zvishavane District Hospital.

Mimosa corporate communications manager Mrs Elizabeth Nerwande-Chibanda said the company assisted in the refurbishment of the hospital’s maternity wards, nurses’ living quarters and laundry facilities, as well as constructing a private ward.

“Partnerships with institutions such as Harare Hospital School of Nursing, St Giles Medical Rehabilitation Centre, Chitungwiza Central Hospital, Mhondongori Clinic, Matenda Clinic and Ingutsheni Psychiatric Hospital have seen vast improvements in the health service delivery systems,” she said.