CHIREDZI - Redcliff- based Steel Makers of Zimbabwe has been granted a special coal-mining grant here which is expected to boost production at the company's Sponge iron project in Masvingo.Sponge Mine, a division of Steel Makers, specializes in mining sponge iron, which is a key component in manufacturing steel. With shortages of blooms and scrap metal in the country, sponge iron is becoming increasingly popular in manufacturing and processing of all -industrial plants.
Steel Makers Group general manager, Alexander Johnson, told The Zimbabwean that the mine was currently producing 90 000 tonnes of sponge iron per year. Chiredzi coal mine is our newest project which was motivated by our desire to be self-reliant in raw materials. Our Masvingo operations were facing collapse owing to the shortage of coal in the country and we had to find a long -term plan.
He revealed that his company had purchased extraction equipment. This equipment will allow us to dig deeper and process the coal on site and the quality will certainly improve in the short run There are companies locally that are importing coal and once we install the equipment at our plant, we believe we will be able to cater for the greater section of the industry in country,’ said Johnson. He also said that the company had embarked on an expansion programme for its foundry and smelting plants in Redcliff.