BNC targets increase in nickel production

BNC targets increase in nickel production
Published: 29 May 2014
Bindura Nickel Corporation is targeting a 42 percent increase in nickel production within the next two years as the company intensifies efforts to restart its smelter shut down during the hyperinflation era.

The company is currently producing about 7 000 ounces of nickel annually and strategies have been put in place to reach the targeted 10 000 ounces per annum production.

The Bindura nickel smelter was shut down after the drop in international prices eroded profit margins.

BNC managing director Mr Batirai Manhando yesterday said the company's immediate focus was on increasing production at Trojan nickel mine.

"Our focus at the moment is to grow production from the Trojan side and to move further to do smelting. We want to get the smelter up and running immediately.

"Plans are at an advanced stage to restart the smelter and it would take 12 months to modify the facility to also handle about 200 000 ounces of platinum concentrates a year as well," said Mr Manhando.

As part of the efforts to increase production BNC has invested about $1,2 million towards exploration activities.

Mr Manhando said they are doing capital drilling where the company is looking at refining the existing ore bodies.

"As you are quite aware we restarted Trojan in the first quarter of 2012 and from then exploration activities have been earmarked as a way of increasing production. We are extending the mine to a deeper level to also have easier access to the resource as well," he said.

Trojan is also in the process of establishing more spiral roadways underground.

Since the resumption of operations at the mine, Bindura has to a greater extent got back to the glory days (a period) before the hyperinflation era where Trojan used to be the mainstay of all economic activities in the area.

The employment situation has since returned to normal with all the workers back to work.
- The Herald
Tags: Nickel, BNC,

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