Published: 30 June 2025

Mimosa Mining Company has unveiled plans to invest US$100 million into the development of a new mining shaft at its operations in Zvishavane, in a move aimed at extending the mine's lifespan to 22 years.

The platinum miner, one of Zimbabwe's three major producers of the mineral, announced the development during a media tour at its site this week. Mimosa, jointly owned by Impala Platinum and Sibanye-Stillwater, has been operating in the country since 1992 and currently holds one of the oldest platinum claims on the Great Dyke mineral belt.

General Manager Steve Ndiyamba said the company has completed exploration at its North and South Hill claims and is now preparing to invest in the next phase of development to access new ore bodies.

"We need to invest about US$100 million into North Hill to get another 12 years," Ndiyamba said. "If we explore and investigate other ore bodies and find value, we may add another 10 years, potentially extending our lifespan to about 30 years."

Currently, the mine has around 10 years of resources left in the ground. Ndiyamba explained that drilling has confirmed the potential at North and South Hill, but emphasized that more exploration is required beyond the projected 22-year lifespan.

The mine's efforts to extend operations come amid growing pressure from the Zimbabwean government for platinum miners to refine their products domestically. Authorities have long expressed concerns that processing platinum matte outside Zimbabwe, particularly in South Africa, limits transparency over the declaration of valuable by-products.

Ndiyamba acknowledged government expectations and confirmed that Mimosa had previously conducted a feasibility study on setting up a smelter in Zimbabwe.

"In 2016 and 2017, we carried out a study that showed we could set up a smelter here for about US$80 million to US$100 million," he said. "However, as the smallest player on the Great Dyke with only 4% of the resource and just 10 years of mine life left, it's not feasible to recover such an investment over that period."

He noted that while a standalone smelter was not viable for Mimosa, the company is open to partnering with other platinum producers to establish a shared in-country processing facility.

Mimosa operates alongside Zimplats, listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, and Unki Mine, owned by Anglo American and listed on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange. Together, the three firms anchor Zimbabwe's ambitions to become a leading player in the global platinum group metals industry.

The planned shaft development and ongoing exploration could bolster Mimosa's position within the sector and provide longer-term certainty for both employment and local economic activity in Zvishavane.
- newsday

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