In a statement to The Zimbabwean, the company confirmed that last Tuesday Blanket Mine’s No 4 Shaft hoisted 1 220 tonnes of ore and a further 141 tonnes of ore were hoisted via the Lima Shaft.
Caledonia said this daily total ore production of 1 361 tonnes is significantly higher than Blanket’s target of 1 000 tonnes of ore per day and represents a new underground mining record for the mine, for which production records date back to 1906.
“Caledonia Mining Corporation is pleased to report that the Blanket Gold Mine in Zimbabwe has broken its underground production record. This is a tremendous achievement by the management and employees at Blanket, who are to be heartily congratulated and bodes well for Blanket achieving its future production targets,” Stefan Hayden, Caledonia’s Chief Executive said from Ontario, Canada.
Blanket Mine in Gwanda, south of the second city of Bulawayo, is one of many companies in the sector emerging from decades of economic problems. The problems led to companies failing to access foreign currency to buy inputs, much to the reduction in mineral production. A number could not survive the financial crisis.
Blanket has not been spared the controversial indigenisation laws which government say will empower the previously-disadvantaged black community. Last month, its operating licence was cancelled by the country’s mining authorities. The government reversed plans after it emerged Blanket was seeking legal advice with the view of suing it.
Post published in: News