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Conrad Mupesa Mashonaland West Bureau

Chinese investor who are resuscitating Alaska Smelting and Mining plant say they have made commendable progress to meet the November 2021 commissioning deadline, with furnace equipment now on site.

The resuscitation of the plant is expected to create employment for at least 200 youths from the defunct mine’s settlement.

Alaska Mine closed over two decades ago and is being revived in line with Vision 2030 of transforming Zimbabwe into an empowered and prosperous upper middle income economy.

It also dovetails with Government’s desire to turn mining into a US$12 billion industry by 2023. Mines and Minerals Development Deputy Minister Polite Kambamura said the company had received an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) certificate.

“There is commendable progress on site. The company received an EIA certificate from the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) while office refurbishments have also been finished.

“Setting up of sheds is complete and furnace equipment is now on site,” said Deputy Minister Kambamura.

The company is expecting to receive flotation equipment soon.

“Commissioning of this huge milestone project is expected in November this year. I am pleased to see development and progress as per plan,” he said.

The company is expected to resume operations under the name, Grand Sanyuan Copper Resources. General manager Mr Wen Zhang said they had now started construction works following the issuance of the EIA certificate.