South African-headquartered platinum giant Anglo American Platinum has commissioned a $62 million smelter at its Unki Platinum Mine in Zimbabwe.

Unki chairman James Maposa said this was a strategic investment for the group that is expected to enhance efficiency and increase Unki’s contribution to group’s total production.

The scope of the facility is the primary smelting of Unki concentrate to produce a furnace matte which is crushed on site and transported to the Anglo American Platinum Converter Process Facility in Rustenburg for further processing.

“The Unki smelter is a strategic investment for our company and will increase our processing capacity significantly. Unki has heeded the government’s beneficiation call, a key pillar of Zimbabwe’s goal to create value, employment and accelerate industrial development from its mineral resources.

“Anglo American Platinum acknowledges that we have a responsibility to contribute to the country’s economic and social development, and to ensure that our contribution here addresses key national priorities,” said Maposa.

Said Mines and Mining Development Minister Winston Chitando on the development:

“Government commends the efforts made by Unki and Anglo American Platinum on this enormous investment. Local beneficiation of PGMs has a positive socio-economic effect, therefore we need to pay sustained attention to this.

“The establishment of this smelting facility will result in a reduction in the amount of PGMs concentrate being exported, the development of key infrastructure, increased foreign currency earnings and employment for our local people.”