Zimplats production capacity up 48%

via Platinum Today: Zimplats production capacity up 48% 1 OCTOBER 2013

Zimplats, the Zimbabwean unit of Impala Platinum, has increased production capacity by 48% after the commissioning of a new phase two concentrator earlier in the year.

The miner has upped production capacity from 4.2 million tonnes per year of ore milled to a maximum of 6.2 million tonnesfrom the Selous production plant and Ngezi production plant.

Zimplats corporate affairs manager Busi Chindove told reporters: “The commissioning of a second concentrator at Ngezi has boosted our production from the 4.2 million to 6.2 million tonnes per annum, which is quite a big margin in terms of sustainable growth and development.”

Currently the miner is producing 180,000 platinum ounces, 145,000 palladium ounces and 16,000 ounces of rhodium per year.

For the year ending June 30th ore production was 4.79 million tonnes, which was converted to matte sales of 388,850 4E ounces (platinum, palladium, rhodium and gold).