Zimbabwe to construct $200 million platinum refinery with Australian firm

“As government we will direct the mining companies to sell at market prices to the facility. We have made it clear that as soon as a refinery is built locally, we would want processing done locally. South Africa actually has a law where you can’t take concentrate to process it outside the country,” said Chidhakwa.

Kelltech director Keith Liddell told the press conference that the refinery would employ a patented technology known as Kell Process which consumes less electricity compared to conventional refineries.

Currently, all three platinum miners which operate in Zimbabwe – Anglo American Platinum (Amplats)’s Unki Mine, the Impala Platinum owned Zimplats and Mimosa Mine, a joint venture between Sibanye Gold and Impala, send their matte for refining in South Africa.

Zimplats has said construction of its smelter is nearing completion while Unki expects to complete its refinery facilities in the second half of next year.

Mimosa has said that its operation is too small to sustain its own refining facility but would work with other mines over time to put one in place. – The Source

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