Chinese company Beijing Pinchang has been selected to partner the government in the redevelopment of the defunct Kamativi Tin Mine in Matabeleland North, Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwean Mines minister Walter Chidakwa reported that Beijing Pinchang was chosen from a shortlist of four companies and will acquire a 49% interest in the mine with the controlling stake held by the government through the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC). According to Chidakwa, the company has committed $102 million in funding to revive the mine. Extraction of tin, lithium, tantalite, beryl and copper are planned, with beneficiation at a refinery to be constructed on site.
The Kamativi Mine was closed in 1994 after 58 years of operation due to prolonged low tin prices following the price crash of 1984. Despite this, the site reportedly has estimated historical tin resources of around 100 million tonnes of tin ore. The tailings dumps also have potential and will have their value assessed by the government before they are sold to Beijing Pinchang.
ITRI View The government’s selection of a minority partner and the associated commitment of funding are both significant steps forward in the potential resuscitation of the Kamativi Mine. However, the necessary development work will take time and it is likely to be a number of years before mining can recommence on a significant scale.
