The Chronicle

BULAWAYO, Saturday, August 6, 1966 — Kamativi Tin Mine, Africa’s biggest underground tin workings, and the mine with the lowest grade tin ore and the highest purity refined tin in the world, is fast moving towards a 100 percent output from its new incline shaft.

The mine is also working towards a 100 percent justification of the faith of the Billiton mining group in the Kamativi venture, Mr JW M Bellasis, managing director of the company in Rhodesia, said yesterday. Since 1953,Billiton have invested more than £2 250 000 in developing Kamativi.

The new shaft costs £300 000. Early this year, Kamativi began milling ore from the shaft. A couple of months ago the mill began working to capacity: 50,000 tonnes of ore a month. Half of this is still drawn from open cast working.

By the end of the year, all ore milled will be drawn from the shaft, where values are better than in the open cast workings. When the mill’s total capacity is fed from the shaft, the group’s faith in Kamativi will be justified.

The value of the present and potential output is on strategic secrets list. But its value to the Netherlands group that owns and has developed it was hinted at by Mr Bellasis, who is also a general manager of the mine.

He said: “It is a feather in Billiton’s cap. They have consistently shown faith in the future of tin from Kamativi. They richly deserve to reap the benefit”.