3 RioZim mines resume operations

ZIMBABWE Stock Exchange-listed miner RioZim has resumed operations at three of its gold mines after reaching an agreement with Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe over forex allocation, which has been affecting its operations.

RioZim temporarily closed Cam and Motor Mine in Kadoma, Renco Mine in Masvingo and Dalny Mine in Chegutu last month citing shortage of foreign currency needed to import critical consumables and spare parts. The company chief executive Mr Beki Nkomo recently announced that the mining giant required at least $20 million in foreign currency for the importation of the critical consumables and spare parts to enable it to resume production at three of its gold mines.

In an interview yesterday, RioZim head of corporate affairs executive, Mr Wilson Gwatiringa said the company was resuming operations this week after having engaged in fruitful negotiations with RBZ over its forex allocation.

“Yes, we are preparing to restart operations at all the three gold mines by end of this week,” he said.

The Herald is also in possession of a circular sent to workers notifying them about the new development.

“We had an Ad-Hoc meeting today (Monday) at Dalny Mine,” reads the circular. “It was stated that the operations to resume starting Wednesday because they have agreed something with RBZ.

“Crushing and small ball mills to start running tonight (Monday) to fill up the thickener which had been drained. The big mill to start when consumables arrive.”

It further states that employees are also set to receive part of their salaries next week.

“Grocery balances including cooking oil (to be paid) this week and November salary to be paid on the 29th,” reads the circular. “Sixty percent September and October salaries to be staggered in four months.”

RioZim board chair Lovemore Chihota had, prior to the suspension of production, said the firm had received only 14 percent of its gold delivery proceeds in the last 30 months instead of the RBZ directive of 50 percent direct access to its Nostro Funds and 50 percent by application.

He announced that if Government extends the support RioZim requires, it would be back to producing 165 kilogrammes per month (Cam and Motor 60kgs, Renco Mine 60kgs, Dalny 45kgs) from zero production.

Mr Chihota said RioZim had the capacity to even expand targeted production from 165kgs up to 300kgs per month – Cam and Motor Mine (180kgs), Renco Mine (75kgs) and Dalny Mine (45kg) – after two years when it would have commissioned Biox and Renco Mine expansions.

The company was incorporated on August 29, 1956 as Rio Tinto Southern Rhodesia Ltd.

It was set up initially to develop and mine the Empress Nickel deposit in the Midlands and was the first mining operation to be set up outside Europe by Rio Tinto plc.

RioZim separated from Rio Tinto plc in 2004 and became a wholly owned Zimbabwean company that produces gold, coal, toll refines nickel and copper.

Mr Munkombwe said they started looking for her at around 8PM on Monday to no avail, before they learnt of her death from social media messages, hours later.

“After we had given up looking for her, we saw some viral messages on WhatsApp which were alerting people of a young woman who had been crushed to death by a train at Cowdray Park near the Water Works. I rushed there with my neighbour and to my shock, we discovered that it was my niece. I could only identify her by my jacket that she had borrowed in the morning when she left for school,” he said.

Mr Munkombwe described his niece as a hard working and brilliant student who never had any disciplinary problems at home.

He said she was also an active member of the Apostolic Faith Mission Church in Cowdray Park suburb.

“It was so painful I could not even look at her. All I could identify her with was my jacket and a piece of her leg and shoes she was wearing. That was all. If only she had told me, I would not have allowed her to do this. These are the problems of child headed families. I am away at work most of the times so children lack counselling and guidance and neighbours also fail to act in loco parentis as our communities have changed,” said Mr Munkombwe.

“Her parents invested so much in her education. She passed very well at Mtshabezi High School in her O-Levels before attaining 13 points in Maths, Biology and Chemistry at Sizane High School for her A-Levels. Her dream was to study Pharmacy, although she was enrolled for Statistics at Nust.”

Blessing is survived by her parents and young brother.

Funeral arrangements will be announced in due course. — @andile_tshuma