Story by Tichaona Kurewa
ZIMBABWE’s push for mineral value addition is gathering pace, with over US$20 million invested in the construction of a state-of-the-art coke oven battery in Hwange, Matabeleland North Province.
The high-tech facility, which is slated for commissioning in December, comprises two plants with a combined production capacity of 100,000 tonnes per month.
A coke oven battery is a vital industrial plant that transforms coal into coke, a key fuel used in blast furnaces for steel production and other metallurgical processes. The battery consists of multiple ovens arranged side-by-side to carry out this transformation.
A tour of the construction site revealed substantial progress, with company management confirming that the plant is on track for completion.
“Each of the two batteries has an installed production capacity of 50 000 tonnes per month. According to our plan, we should be able to commission this plant by December 2025 and we are optimistic that we will meet that target. We will be getting our raw material which is coal from local producers, providing a ready market for them,” Zimbabwe International Cocking Corporation General Manager, Mr Deng Yao Lu said.
The growing demand for coke to export to countries like South Africa has driven the investment.
“We are targeting mostly the export market and to date have received significant orders from countries such as South Africa. We are hopeful when operating at full scale we will employ over 100 people including locals,” he said.
The coking process also yields valuable by-products, including coal chemical tar, ammonia, and crude benzoyl, which are further processed to produce aromatics like benzene, toluene, xylene, and other essential chemicals.
Zimbabwe continues to be a prime destination for foreign direct investment, thanks to the favourable policies implemented by the second republic.
