Mimosa full year output drops 5 percent
PLATINUM producer, Mimosa Mining Company, recorded a five percent drop in production to 247 800 ounces in the full year ended 30 June 2020 due to capacity constraints compared to last year’s output of 260 600oz.
The Zvishavane-based mining operation, which is owned by Aquarius Platinum and Impala (Implats), was exempted from the national lockdown in April to contain the spread of the deadly global pandemic.
In a statement, Implats said the presence of a significant ROM (ore coming out of a mine before any processing) surface ore stockpile, afforded the mine the opportunity to suspend mining operations for 10 days in its fourth quarter 2020, which ended on June 30, 2020. The production gap was used to institute critical Covid-19 operational preparedness measures, it said.
The group said milling constraints experienced in its first quarter of financial year 2020 were substantially offset by consistent operational delivery for the remainder of the year under review. However, milled volumes declined by four percent to 2,7 million tonnes compared to 2,8 million tonnes in full year 2019.
“While the 6E mill grade of 3,85 grammes per tonne was stable, sub-optimal concentrator residence time due to capacity constraints impacted recoveries and 6E in concentrate production of 247 800 ounces declined by five percent (FY2019: 260 600 ounces),” said the mining group.
During the period under review, Implats indicated that its other local platinum operation giant, Zimplats, delivered another strong operational performance navigating the challenges created by increasing socio-economic pressures in Zimbabwe and successfully mitigating the substantial threat to its employees and operations posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Zimplats has operated un-interrupted since the onset of the Covid-19 crisis, working closely with Government health departments to lend support and raise awareness in the communities surrounding its operations.
“Tonnes milled were four percent higher at 6,8 million tonnes (FY2019: 6,5 million) while stable 6E grade of 3,48g/t resulted in a commensurate increase in 6E produced in concentrate of 597 000oz (FY2019: 572 000oz),” said Implats.
It said a furnace rebuild was completed in the first half of the 2020, with the unit recommissioned in October 2019, and scheduled mill relines at the Selous concentrator completed in the second half of 2020. —chronicle.co.zw
