Zimbabwe's Mimosa revives $130m platinum project after price rebound
VICTORIA FALLS, Zimbabwe – Zimbabwe's Mimosa platinum mine, jointly owned by Impala Platinum and Sibanye-Stillwater, is reviving its $130-million North Hill life-extension project after a rebound in metal prices, an executive said on Thursday.
Mimosa, Zimbabwe's second largest platinum producer after Impala's Zimplats, suspended the project in 2024 as prices plunged amid destocking, weak automotive demand and expectations of rapid electric-vehicle adoption.
Prices of platinum group metals (PGM) used in autocatalysts have since recovered, supported by tight supply from top producer South Africa and slower-than-expected electric vehicle (EV) uptake.
Mimosa, which produces about 250 000 oz/y of PGM concentrates, is considering an extension to its mine life as the South Hill ore body depletes and becomes more expensive to mine, GM Stephen Ndiyamba said at a mining conference in Victoria Falls.
"Currently, we are working internally on consideration of a life of mine extension project which will require a capital investment of about $130-million," Ndiyamba said.
"This has the potential to replace our current operations at South Hill and increase life of mine by about 15 years," he added.
South African miners, which account for about 70% of global platinum output, remain cautious about new projects to expand output despite the metal price rebound.
Citing the long-term threat from EVs, which do not require emission-control catalysts, companies including Impala favour life-extension projects to sustain output.
Article Enquiry
Email Article
Save Article
Feedback
To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here
Research Reports
Projects
Latest Multimedia
Latest News
Showroom
From batteries for boats and jet skis, to batteries for cars and quad bikes, SABAT Batteries has positioned itself as the lifestyle battery of...
VISIT SHOWROOM
Sweet-Orr, established in 1871, is a global leader in superior protective workwear, known for quality, innovation, and performance.
VISIT SHOWROOM
Press Office
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation
