Published: 06 June 2018

THE Ministry of Mines and Mining Development has started exploration of limestone deposits on the outskirts of Zvishavane, which have the potential to generate millions of dollars in revenue for the country.

The ministry needs to ascertain the quantities of the limestone deposits with a view of injecting capital for their exploitation.

Mines and Mining Development Minister, Winston Chitando, said there was requisite infrastructure in the area to support the exploitation of the mineral, which will lower the cost of the cement production as compared to other regional players.

"There are limestone deposits in the Mhundurure area just outside Zvishavane. You will realise that we have a comparative advantage as the infrastructure is there such as the road network. There is a railway line and power, which is already there and there is a perennial river, which flows there," said Minister Chitando.

"So the capital cost of putting that asset there is low. So when then you look at your cost per tonne and it will be lower because of the variables that I have mentioned, which makes one competitive. We are looking at how we can move in and exploit the deposits."

He said Government was in the process of evaluating the deposits to ascertain the quality and quantity of the mineral.

Meanwhile, Government has projected increased investment in lithium production in the country, following increased demand on the international market. Minister Chitando said his ministry has already embarked on various lithium projects, which include the Arcadia Lithium Project, in an effort to attract investment.

"Due to increased demand for lithium on the international market, Zimbabwe is going to experience a huge boom in production to meet this demand with the coming on board of new mining projects, which include the Arcadia Lithium Project and one or two other projects," he said.

In April, Prospect Resources, which is listed on the Australian bourse pledged to inject at least $25 million to fund the construction of a mine and plant at its Arcadia lithium project near Arcturus Gold Mine. Recently Government, through the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC), struck a deal with a foreign investor to exploit lithium deposits worth $1,4 billion in Matabeleland North.

Zimbabwe is the fifth largest producer of lithium in the world after Australia, Chile, Argentina and China.
- chronicle

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• Govt explores limestone deposits in Zvishavane