Modern Mining August 2018

CHROME

Zimbabwean chrome miner brings new plant on stream

African Chrome Fields (ACF), which says it is Zimbabwe’s biggest exporter of chromium, has launched a state-of-the-art aluminothermic plant which is set to further increase the company’s range of products through the addition of Ultra Low Carbon High Grade Ferrochrome (ULCHGFeCr) and boost employment across ACF’s operations. Modern Mining travelled to Zimbabwe to attend the launch.

L ocated east of Kwekwe in Midlands Province in the vicinity of the Sebakwe Dam, the plant was offi- cially opened on 25 July by the President of Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa. The event was attended by a number of VIPs including Win- ston Chitando, the country’s Minister of Mines and Mining Development, a me- dia group and thousands of guests from surrounding communities. With the opening taking place just a few days before Zimbabwe’s elections,

the Eureka gold mine and the Shabanie- Mashaba Mine (SMM) asbestos mining operation, which have both reportedly been re-opened, as well as the new Mhondoro-Ngezi platinum mining ven- ture of Karo Resources. Ground-breaking on the Karo project took place on the day before the launch of ACF’s new plant. The technologically-advanced aluminothermic plant will initially produce 300 tonnes per month of ULCHGFeCr and is expected to ramp- up to 600 tonnes of ULCHGFeCr per month at full production. Said to be the first of its type in Africa, the plant creates certain by-products that have economic value themselves and will be sold, thus providing a secondary income from the facility. The launch of the plant brings with it

President Mnangagwa was in electioneering mood. In his address to guests, he described himself as “Mr Ground Breaking”, a reference to the number of proj- ects he has inaugurated since becoming Zimbabwe’s President in November last year. In the mining field, these projects have included

ACF National Projects Liaison Officer Ashruf Kaka displays the ferrochrome product of the new plant. Right: The reaction cham- ber of the aluminothermic plant.

26  MODERN MINING  August 2018