Chronicle Editor
Michael Magoronga, Midlands Correspondent
KWEKWE-BASED mining company, Vigilant Resources Plant, has lined up a number of expansion projects with a target of ramping up production to about a ton of gold by end of 2023 as it seeks to contribute towards a US$4 billion gold industry by the same year.
The company, previously owned by a Chinese firm, Ming Chang, was taken over by the current owners late last year and started off with a capacity to produce 30kg of gold per month before gradually increasing to about 40kgs per month.
Should the two other plants earmarked for commissioning be successful, the mining company is aiming to produce 433kgs of gold this year.
The Government has set an ambitious target of US$4 billion gold industry earnings by 2023 and insists this is achievable riding on increased production by established companies and small-scale miners.
Speaking during a tour of the Vigilant Resources Plant by Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister, Senator Larry Mavima on Thursday, board chairperson, Mr Wilbert Manyika said the company was prepared to play its role to ensure that the target is achieved.
“As a company, we have every intention to significantly contribute to the Second Republic’s strategy as enshrined in NDS1 as we seek to certainly contribute to the US$12 billion mining industry by 2023 and we have set goals towards that,” he said.
Mr Manyika said the increase in gold output hinges on the resuscitation of idle plants including the commissioning of the Chaka plant with the hope of getting constant supply of ore.
“As we move towards developing Chaka Mine, we expect to increase our gold output. This is one of our major projects lined up that will help us achieve our goal of pushing through more tonnes per year and produce the one ton we are talking about by the end of 2023,” said Mr Manyika.
Outlining the planned projects the general manager, Mr Tendai Kadyamusuna, said they will move into Chaka Mine full throttle this June.
“As we speak, plans are at an advanced stage to start full production next month. We wholly own Chaka Mine and at the moment we have been doing contract mining,” he said.
“We thus want to move from that to owner mining. We have extensively explored the mine and we are aware of what it contains. We have dump material, which will be processed to produce gold,” said Mr Kadyamusuna.
The company started off with only 12 employees and has seen its workforce increasing rapidly to 220. Minister Mavima said it was encouraging that companies wholly owned by black Zimbabweans were growing and eager to contribute towards the development of their country.
He also warned illegal miners who had invaded the Chaka plant saying they were derailing progress
“We don’t condone illegal mining which is rampant in the province. I urge all illegal miners to register so that they too can significantly contribute towards the development of the country,” said Minister Mavima.
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