HARARE: Anglo American Platinum’s Zimbabwe unit Unki said it was considering either building a new smelter or expanding facilities at larger rival Zimplats. President Robert Mugabe’s government last week suspended a 15 percent tax on raw platinum exports after mining companies committed to building smelters and refineries.
“These efforts are part of the solution agreed with the government which have resulted in the suspension of the 15 percent tax,” Colin Chibafa, Unki Mines chief financial officer said in emailed responses to questions from Reuters.
Unki is the smallest of three platinum mines in Zimbabwe and has previously said it would take two years to build a smelter. Mines in Zimbabwe send platinum group metal concentrates for refining to South Africa but the government wants the process to be done locally to increase the value of mineral exports.
Platinum was the largest mineral export in Zimbabwe last year, and the southern African nation holds the world’s second-largest reserves of platinum which can be used in catalytic convertors or for making jewellery. Chibafa said the company was considering “a green fields smelter at Unki using some of the equipment that Anglo American Platinum Limited has available.”
