Harare – Leading Platinum Mining Company in Zimbabwe, Zimplats Holding Limited in a report for the quarter ended June 30, 2018 said its Bimha Mine attained design production in April 2018 as planned and the Group is now operating at Phase 2 underground mine design capacity of 6.2 million tonnes per year.

Bimha Mine collapsed in 2014, resulting in 50 percent loss of ore production and this was mitigated through the subsequent opening of South Pit Temporary Mine as a stop gap measure.

In November last year Zimplats engineer Tendai Goto, said Bimha is the largest underground mine and it is scheduled to be reopened in April 2018.

He said the project is expected to cost more than $100 million and is coming at a time when the mine is also developing the Base Metal Refinery in Selous as part of the beneficiation process.

 He added that at least $23.4 million has so far been spent in procuring equipment to be installed to modify the old plant that was owned by BHP.

Zimplats in the quarterly report said, “Bimha Mine attained design production in April 2018. The north crusher and ore conveyancing system is targeted for completion in August 2018 while the south crusher and ore conveyancing system is scheduled for commissioning in May 2019.

“A total of US$66.2 million has been spent and US$14.4 million has been committed as at 30 June 2018 against a budget of US$101 million.

“The development of Mupani Mine (the replacement for Ngwarati and Rukodzi mines) is ahead of schedule, targeting ore contact by August 2019 and full production in August 2025. A total of US$37.8 million had been spent and US$18.7 million committed for the project as at 30 June 2018 against an approved total project budget of US$264 million,” it said.

During the period under review tonnes mined decreased by 10 percent from 1 862 in June 2017 to 1 564 this year as a result of the planned closure of the open-pit operation.

Tonnes milled decreased by 5 percent from 1 844 in the previous quarter to 1 578 in June this year due to planned mill reline shutdowns at both concentrators during the quarter.

According to the report, four elements (4E) head grade was unchanged at 3.23g/t despite the closure of low-grade South Pit Mine due to the dilution from mining of underground workshops at Bimha Mine and faulting at Mupfuti Mine.

The furnace operated well during the quarter smelting 31 434 tonnes of concentrate, although this was down from the 34 165 tonnes smelted in the previous quarter.

Zimplats said the decrease was largely due to a planned seven-day tap block inspection shutdown in May 2018.

This shutdown is conducted once every six months.

Overall, 4E metal production in final product decreased by 6 percent from the previous quarter in line with the decrease in the volume of ore milled.

4E metal sales for the quarter at 129 054 ounces were 10 percent lower from 152 938 in the previous quarter mainly due to the decrease in production and metal inventory movement.

Meanwhile, Zimplats’ operating subsidiary said it will continue to engage the Government of Zimbabwe regarding its indigenisation implementation plan.

Zimplats which is a member of the Implats Group business is production of platinum and associated metals from the Great Dyke in Zimbabwe.