daniel chigunwe
Oliver Kazunga
Senior Business Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S leading chrome miner, African Chrome Fields (ACF) has announced ambitious expansion plans as it seeks to gain up to 25 percent of global market share for high-grade chrome concentrate by the end of 2026.
Presently, the chrome miner operates six spiral wash plants across the Midlands Province in the Ngezi, Lalapanzi, and Chinyikwa regions.
“Our goal is to position ACF as a major player in the global chrome industry, while setting Zimbabwe apart as the home of high-quality chrome concentrate, and helping to build its reputation for its resource capabilities,” ACF chairman and country representative Mr Zunaid Moti said in a statement.
The firm’s above wash plants employ a blend of gravity and water — an environmentally-responsible approach with no chemicals involved, supporting land rehabilitation efforts.
The wash plants produce an average of 30 000 tonnes of high-grade chromium concentrate per month.
The high-grade chromium concentrate is used in the production of ferro alloy for high-grade stainless steels.
Furthermore, its operations are expected to contribute over US$40 million in revenue to Zimbabwe’s fiscus this year.
Going forward, ACF has significant investments planned for growing its production capacity that will see it increase its monthly chrome output to between 50 000 and 60 000 tonnes, and target annual production of 800 000 tonnes by the end of 2030.
To accomplish this, the company intends to raise the number of wash plants to eight over the next 18 months, while relocating three wash plants to Lalapanzi and one to Ngezi.
By the end of next year, ACF estimates that this will increase the annual foreign exchange revenue generated for the Zimbabwean fiscus to US$100 million, gradually rising to over US$150 million by 2030.
Similarly, ACF’s job creation and infrastructure development efforts are expected to provide a growing number of income-earning opportunities, directly and indirectly impacting over 8 500 community members.
“Our plans demonstrate our confidence in the strength and global competitiveness of our products, as well as our belief in Zimbabwe’s future.
“We’re proud to carry the Zimbabwean badge on the world stage, and to partner in its development by building infrastructure that supports sustainable growth and creates jobs,” said Mr Moti.
In addition, ACF is also driving innovation in the beneficiation processes at its plants to produce a low-silica chrome product variant, utilising specialised hydrosizers to remove excess silica to achieve chrome content of over 50 percent and silica levels below 0,5 percent.
The above niche product has the potential to serve as a chemical-grade material, to compete with foundry sand, and offers greater longevity for use within the refractory linings of smelters for manufacturing high-grade, ultra-low carbon ferrochrome.
Simultaneously, the company’s aluminothermic facility is gradually ramping up production of its own ultra-low carbon, high-grade ferrochrome for top-tier clients in the aeronautical engineering sector — a product only produced by one other competitor in the world.
“Our goal is to elevate Zimbabwe’s mining capabilities to compete on a global scale, and to earn recognition for the technology and innovation we are bringing to the industry.
“ACF has already made a name for itself through the quality of our products, and by investing in our operations and new innovations, we hope to place ourselves at the cutting-edge of mining,” he said.
Bongani Ndlovu