eBusiness Weekly
Enacy Mapakame
Listed nickel producer- Bindura Nickel Corporation (BNC) is looking at increasing its production to 10 000 tonnes of nickel per annum by financial year 2025.
For the half year to September 30, 2020, BNC produced 2 929 tonnes of nickel slightly down from 2 943 produced prior year comparative.
The resources group will leverage on the nickel resources under its portfolio.
Board chairman Muchadeyi Masunda indicated the group will take advantage of the availability of a confirmed huge low grade disseminated resource of approximately 6,98 million tonnes of an average grade of 0,77 percent at Trojan Nickel Mine, which will
support a high volume strategy.
The group will also leverage on its large and underutilised processing capacity. Trojan Nickel Mine has a sound processing plant with 56 percent excess capacity at current production rates. This plant has an installed capacity to process up to one million tonnes per annum. According to the group, at the moment Trojan Nickel Mine is the only operating mine within BNC and on average, it mines +/-440 000 tonnes of ore and produces +/- 6 000 tonnes of nickel in concentrate per annum. Masunda said this translates to approximately 44 percent of capacity.
“The reduced capacity has largely been driven by a mining strategy anchored on a high-grade/ low-volume ratio of one part massives to two parts disseminated ore.
“BNC has nickel resources across Zimbabwe under mining, processing and exploration assets. These are Trojan Mine, Shangani Mine, the BSR (formerly Bindura Smelter and Refinery) facility, Hunter’s Road Project, Damba-Silwane and the Trojan Hill and Kingstone Hill Prospects. Collectively, these resources amount to a total of 71,4 million tonnes of ore at an average grade of 0,59 percent, containing approximately 420,8 kilo-tonnes of Nickel,” he said in a statement accompanying the group results for the half year to September 30, 2020.
Mr Masunda added that to extend the current BNC ore resources, exploration work will be carried out at Trojan Mine and near-mine resources such as Trojan Hill and Kingstone Hill, in addition to Hunter’s Road and Damba-Silwane. At Trojan Mine, phase 1 of the re-deepening project will enable the mine to extend its ore and waste handling facilities downdip by
an additional 240 metres. It is 87 percent complete and expected to be commissioned by April 2021.
During the half year under review, the group’s total capital expenditure amounted to US$1,6 million. Meanwhile, the Smelter restart project is still at 83 percent complete while the Refinery and Shangani Mine remained under care and maintenance.
