TINASHE MAKICHI
Pressure is mounting on Zimbabwe platinum miner Todal Mining Limited to come up with a roadmap on the development of the mine amid claims a section of politicians in the Midlands province wants the company to lose its concession, Business Times can report.
The miner risks losing the concession as information filters in that the provincials heavyweights are pushing for another investor to take over the operations.
The mining venture, which is controlled by Eurasian Resources Group has had a slow start.
A well-placed source at the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, who preferred anonymity, told Business Times this week that pressure was mounting on the miner to shape up or ship out.
The matter was recently deliberated in Cabinet. The Mines and Mining Development Minister, Winston Chitando was instructed to do a follow up on the project and also come up with feedback on what could be the challenges on the project.
A source said this week that political bigwigs from the Midlands Province were fed up with Todal and were now rooting for a business tycoon to take over the concessions.
“There is serious lobbying by some Midlands politicians who are questioning Todal Mining’s capacity to execute that billion dollar project. The Midlands politicians are pushing for a well-known mining tycoon,” the source said.
“Their worry is that the project has been dormant for too long and this was not good for the province which already boasts of various successful mining projects.”
It is understood that Todal Mining representatives were at the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development last week to express their commitment to the project.
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa recently told a post-Cabinet briefing that the government has expressed the need to get the platinum project up and running so that it starts contributing to the US$12bn mining industry milestone.
“Cabinet also considered the need to get the Todal-Bokai Platinum Project next to Unki Mine into production as soon as possible so that it contributes to the US$12bln mining industry milestone. The Minister of Mines and Mining Development was also tasked to follow up on the issue accordingly,” Mutsvangwa said.
Zimbabwe has the world’s third-biggest platinum group metal reserves but to date only three platinum projects, Zimplats, Mimosa and Unki, are in full production while the Great Dyke Investments venture is yet to come to full production.
The other project, Karo Resource platinum project, is still at initial stages.
Contacted for comment, Minister of State for Provincial Affairs for Midlands Province, Larry Mavima, referred all questions to Chitando.
“I know the mine has not been functional but Minister Chitando is the best person to give you an update on the matter,” Mavima said.
Efforts to get a comment from Chitando were futile as he did not respond to questions sent to him on WhatsApp and text message.
