Story by Kenias Chivuzhe
INCREASED investments within the gold sector running into millions of United States dollars are expected to play a pivotal role in increasing gold output from Penhalonga and grow the provincial gross domestic product.
Penhalonga’s mining history dates back to 1895 when Penhalonga Mine opened, before its closure in the 1940s with Redwing Mine in the same area later becoming a leading gold producer for many years in the province and the country.
As part of new investments, The mining portfolio’s manager, Neilson Stewart revealed that at least US$20 million has been invested towards the resuscitation of the mine.
“We are progressing well with the construction of the mine. We should be reaching the commissioning stage by mid-April with the first gold output expected in May this year. With partners invited by President Mnangagwa after a meeting in New York, we have invested US$20 million on the project,” Stewart said.
“The mining portfolio came about as a result of President Mnangagwa’s Zimbabwe is open for business mantra. We are employing more than 160 locals, and we are looking forward to increasing the number as the mine grows. We are building this plant, and we intend to feed about 250 tonnes of ore per day, and we want to be the biggest producer of gold in Manicaland,” the mine’s Director, Macloud Nyasowa added.
“We hope that we will employ more than 500 people when the mine is operating at fully throttle. We know the history of Redwing, which used to be the leading producer of gold, and we want to replicate that.”
Small to medium scale miners are not being left behind within the investment matrix as they play their part in increasing gold output in Penhalonga.
“We do leaching, and we have established a CIP plant which has a high gold extraction rate. We have 11 tanks with carbons which are taken to the elusion to retrieve gold. This plant requires more than US$80 000 to establish. If the government assists more miners in that area, the mining sector has the potential to grow exponentially,” local miner, Lovemore Kasha noted.
The government is happy with the positive developments and pledged to continue supporting the growth of the mining industry.
“Last year, the mining sector contributed 15 percent to the provincial GDP, and with the new investments, we foresee the contribution doubling. We have many miners coming up, and we are looking forward to the sector’s continued growth as the government has created a conducive environment,” Manicaland Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Advocate Misheck Mugadza said.
Meanwhile, gold is one of Zimbabwe’s single largest export earner, averaging US$3 billion annually over the past few years.
