By Flata Kavinga
Capitrail Investments managing director Tafadzwa Andrew Chimanyiwa says the company has set aside close to US$1.5 million to support the growth of artisanal mining in Kwekwe, as it moves to establish a gold extraction plant in the city.
In an interview with this publication on the sidelines of a ground-breaking ceremony by Midlands Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Owen Ncube, marking the start of construction of the company’s carbon-in-pulp (CIP) processing facility Chimanyiwa said the investment is part of the firm’s expansion strategy aimed at increasing gold production and strengthening collaboration with small-scale miners.
“We have set aside an investment of close to US$1.5 million, which is targeted towards the growth of artisanal mining in Kwekwe,” Chimanyiwa said.
According to Chimanyiwa, the planned plant will have a processing capacity of about 500 tonnes per day and is expected to work in partnership with artisanal miners in the district.
He added that the company has also provided equipment valued at about US$26,000 to young miners as part of efforts to support local participation in the sector.
Capitrail Investments, which Chimanyiwa described as an indigenous company formed by young Zimbabweans, registered in January this year and has since obtained a gold trading licence.
The ground-breaking ceremony signals the beginning of construction of the processing facility, which the company says will contribute to formalising and scaling up small-scale mining activities in the area.
