Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
President Mnangagwa has arrived in Beitbridge, Matabeleland South province for the ground-breaking ceremony of the Palm River Energy and Metallurgical Special Economic Zone.
The Government, in collaboration with a Chinese mining company, is developing a US$3.6 billion energy industrial park.
The President is accompanied by his two Vice Presidents, Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi; Matabeleland South Minister of State, Dr Evelyn Ndlovu; Finance Minister, Prof Mthuli Ncube; Mines and Mining Development Minister, Winston Chitando; and other senior Government officials, representatives from the Chinese embassy, and mining experts.
The project, located 20km west of Beitbridge town, seeks to introduce the production of stainless steel.
The energy and steelworks initiative has already employed 400 local workers in its first year, with the expectation that it will ultimately employ over 2,000 people once it becomes fully operational.
The establishment of the park as an integrated mining and energy hub follows discussions between the chairman of Palm River Energy, Mr Xong Xi Dong, and President Mnangagwa.
The project will cover 5,100 hectares within a Special Economic Zone and is expected to make substantial contributions to Zimbabwe’s mining and energy sectors.
The first phase of the project is being carried out through a joint venture between the Government, Xintai Resources, and Tuli Coal.
After the ground-breaking ceremony, the President is expected to tour the park, which comprises a coking plant that will have an annual capacity of producing one million tonnes of coke, a ferro-chrome smelting plant that will produce 100,000 tonnes of high-carbon ferro-chrome, and a 1,200MW coal-fired thermal power plant.
Any surplus electricity will be transmitted to the national grid, while the ferro-chrome plant will facilitate the production of special and stainless steel and castings.
Coal supply to the project will be obtained from Tuli Coal Mine and, in line with plans to export coal products to international markets, will yield significant foreign currency earnings.
