Kamativi revival moves gear up
THE resuscitation of Kamativi Tin Mine has moved a gear up with a new investor conducting an environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA).
In a public notice, Mawenje Consulting, which is carrying out consultancy on the ESIA, said the meeting will be held at Kamativi Community Hall on December 29.
“Kamativi Mining Company intends to establish a tin mine in the Kamativi area. The project seeks to aid the mining and processing of tin in Zimbabwe . . . The main objective of the project is to engage into tin mining and its associated by-products.
“As part of the ESIA, a public consultation process is being carried out so as to obtain views, comments and contributions from different institutions and members of the p u b l i c ,” said the consultancy.
Kamativi Tin Mine, which was wholly-owned by the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC), ceased operations in 1994 after the price of tin on the international market fell overnight from about $18 000 per tonne to less than $3 000. The mineral’s price is now pegged at between $17 000 and $22 000 per tonne. In recent years, the former workers have been calling on the Government to revive the tin mine. And, as part of their economic empowerment drive, the ex-employees h a v e underscored the need to establish a smallscale mining syndicate that would operate as a tributary once the tin mine re-opens.
Last year, Mines and Mining Development Minister Walter Chidhakwa announced that a new investor, China Beijing Pinchang had been secured and was set to invest $102 million in the revival of Kamativi.
The new investor would acquire 49 percent shareholding while the Government through ZMDC will have 51 percent shareholding in the revived tin mine.
Minister Chidhakwa is also on record saying as the mine re-opens, seven other minerals that include tantalite and lithium would also be exploited.
Speaking at the just-ended Zanu-PF annual congress in Masvingo, he said work has just been completed by Government geologists who have established the quantities of several minerals at Kamativi.
Minister Chidhakwa added that they were now working on the technology that would be applied in separating each and every one of the identified minerals so that they can be exported as refined resources.
“So, I want to give you the assurance that the resources have now been secured and that the geological work has been completed,” he said.
Kamativi Tin Mine was opened in 1936.