Karo Resources hits ground running
THE new US$4,2 billion Karo Resources platinum mine is roaring into life with the start of the construction of its plants and an administration block and the arrival of equipment and machinery.
This is one of the Second Republic’s signature projects boasting the biggest mill in Zimbabwe, a 7,25 megawatt mill, which supersedes the current 6,5MW mill.
Some of the equipment to be installed at the plants has been manufactured in China and stored in warehouses in South Africa awaiting transportation to Zimbabwe with about 900 trucks required to ferry it.
Karo Resources has since employed 1 040 workers for work on its operations among them 420 being locals from its Mhondoro base.
As Zimbabwe’s multi-billion mining industry continues to boom, the Second Republic has been creating a conducive environment for the opening up of new mines and resuscitation of old ones as Pickstone Peerless which resumed underground mining.
The country has the world’s second largest known platinum deposits after South Africa, having three active miners with Zimplats, Mimosa Mining Company and Unki Mine while Karo Resources and Bravura are moving ahead to join them soon.
Speaking after touring the ongoing progress at Karo Resources, Mines and Mining Development Deputy Minister Polite Kambamura said it was pleasing that construction had now started.
“We are happy that finally things are happening,” he said.
“All our eyes are on this project. We will be coming now and then to check on the progress.”
In line with President Mnangagwa’s “nyika inovakwa nevene vayo” mantra, Deputy Minister Kambamura said he was impressed that Karo Resources has managed to build “a very strong team from local Zimbabweans”.
“I wish other mining operators would go that route. There are a lot of skills in the country. There is no need for us to go to China, Australia and hire professionals.
“Karo Resources has also roped in local contractors among them Masimba and Chikara.
“The Ministry of Mines will continue to work with you to support you to attend to any issues that may be hindering the progress of this project,” he said.
Karo Resources country manager Dr Josphat Zimba said they were glad the project had roared to life as some naysayers doubted that the project would start.
“There is a lot of work to be done ahead of us and will continue to count on the support of the Government as has been done in the past,” he said.
“To see a thousand of Zimbabweans walking everyday with pride, cycling to work, jumping the buses, it gives us a lot of joy and pride to feel that we have made a small difference in our own way.”
Karo’s platinum mine is only one of several multi-million and billion-dollar investments that have started after the Second Republic was born in 2017, including the giant Manhize steel plant in Chivhu.
The Karo project is an upcoming tier platinum mine situated on the Great Dyke of Zimbabwe.