adminNgoni Dapira Business Correspondent
METALLON Gold’s Penhalonga mining concern, Redwing Mine, is targeting gold deliveries of 528 kilogrammes (27 000 ounces) in 2016 after re-commissioning last year in November.
The gold mining concern resumed operations last year after shutting down in 2008 due to economic challenges.
This was highlighted during a brief to the Minister of Mines and Mining Development, Cde Walter Chidhakwa at the plant last Thursday.
Redwing Mine plant manager, Mr Newton Murimirwa, said they had been gradually improving on production although they were still facing challenges pumping out water in the underground mine shafts.
“We produced 8kgs in November, 16kgs in December, 20kgs in January, 21.8kgs in February and we are expecting to produce 25.6kgs in March. We are, however, tirelessly working towards pumping out the water since 2010.
“By December this year we should be 50 percent operational and the mine should be on the 11th level, while by end of 2017 we are expecting to be on the 22nd level with all the water pumped out,” said Mr Murimirwa.
The Manicaland provincial mines director in the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, Engineer Christopher Dube, said this year the province had targeted 300kgs, in the absence of its large-scale mining concerns, DTZ Ozgeo and Redwing.
He said small-scale miners had become the biggest drivers in the province saying the 528kgs from Redwing would come as a positive development to improve on gold deliveries produced in the province.
Last year the country’s gold deliveries jumped 34.2 percent to 13 211kgs in the eight months to September compared to the same period last year, driven by a strong contribution from small scale miners.
Metallon Gold corporate affairs executive, Ambassador Zenzo Nsimbi, said the company had gone through the required modalities to avail 30 claims to the Community Share Ownership Trust, adding that they were also looking at the possibility of putting up a mill to help the small-scale miners.
Cde Chidhakwa, however, said the matter must be finalised immediately to benefit the community as it had been outstanding for too long.
He also urged Redwing Mine to invest in infrastructural projects in its mining region as part of its corporate social responsibility programmes.
“When we look at the beautiful Leopard Rock Hotel in Vumba we see a creation of BAT (British American Tobacco). You are a big mining company and 50 years from now we do not want to be asked what Metallon or Redwing Mine did after mining so much gold in the country, but have nothing to pinpoint,” said Cde Chidhakwa.
Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs, Cde Mandi Chimene, echoed the same sentiments and called for multi-national corporations in the country to plough back by investing in world class infrastructural projects under public and private partnerships.
“We are in dire need of partnership to build world class conference centres and other futuristic projects.
“They will be yours as separate investments. All we want to see is you ploughing back into the community where you will be accruing your wealth,” she said.
Cde Chidhakwa said in the 2016 national budget, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development targeted 24 tonnes, but they (Ministry of Mines) were targeting 26 tonnes.
Cde Chidhakwa said Government would continue to drive the empowerment programmes of small-scale miners and artisanal miners to improve on gold deliveries.
Online Reporter