Shabanie-Mashava mines to reopen

chairman Godwills Masimi-rembwa said last Friday.
SMM has been at the centre of a protracted ownership wrangle between former owner Mutumwa Mawere and the Government.
It is now under the ZMDC.

Before it was transferred to ZMDC, SMM had been under judicial management for two years.
The mine stopped operating in 2008, rendering almost 3 000 workers jobless.
Mr Masimirembwa said mining operations at Mashava and Shabanie mines will restart next month and both mines will be recapitalised in phases.

“Shabanie Mashava Mine will be ticking soon,” he said. “In a few weeks we will start mining at SMM.
“We want to revive it (SMM) on a piecemeal basis.”
Mr Masimirembwa noted that massive financial investment would be required to revive the mine.

ZMDC was now conducting an evaluation to determine how much money was needed to revitalise the asbestos mine.
But he could not divulge the capital invested to resume operations at SMM.

“An exercise is going on with our forensic auditors to determine how much is needed to recapitalise Shabanie Mashava Mine,” he said.
But he emphasised that ZMDC had the capacity to turn around the mine.

Before suspending operations, SMM produced an estimated 200 000 tonnes of fibre every year.
SMM, once one of Africa’s largest asbestos producers, had access to markets in the US, UK, Angola, Nigeria, Zambia, Mozambique, India, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, China and Indonesia.

Last year, the mine reportedly failed to deliver 200 000 tonnes of asbestos for an order estimated at US$105 million.
SMM’s mines are near the towns of Zvishavane and Mashava, which lost their lustre after the mine ceased operations.

The mine is reportedly sitting on reserves that can be exploited for the next 20 years.
By assuming ownership of SMM, ZMDC took the responsibility to pay the workers who had gone for years without their salaries. – New Ziana.