Namib Minerals steps up Redwing dewatering as Mazowe restart targets US$400m
Namib Minerals steps up Redwing dewatering as Mazowe restart targets US$400m
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Namib Minerals says its restart plans for Redwing and Mazowe mines are already under way, pointing to ongoing dewatering at Redwing Mine in Penhalonga and early-stage infrastructure work as the Nasdaq-listed firm positions itself to expand gold production in Zimbabwe.
According to information published by NewsDay, Redwing, which had been under care and maintenance, has pumped more than 544 000 cubic metres of water since late January this year, lowering water levels by nearly 22 metres. The company says new power lines are being installed and equipment is being shipped to site.
Namib Minerals’ Zimbabwe portfolio includes How Mine near Bulawayo as well as the Redwing and Mazowe restart projects. The company’s approach is to use the operational performance of How Mine as a model for bringing the two brownfield assets back into formal production.
Namib Minerals chief executive officer Tulani Sikwila said How Mine provides proof to investors that the business can run large-scale operations. “How Mine remains a very strong asset and we are proud that the operation is a symbol of our track record in delivering value, whether to shareholders, government or communities,” he said.
Sikwila, who took over as chief executive in March, described his appointment as a transition into the next phase of growth. He is a chartered accountant who started his career at Ernst & Young Zimbabwe and has worked across finance, operations and leadership roles within the group.
“I am humbled to be taking up this responsibility at a key moment in the company’s history,” Sikwila said. “I have been part of this business for two decades, across various leadership positions in finance, operations and leadership. I know these assets. I am tuned in to the operating environment. I know the communities around our operations.”
The company says the immediate focus is scaling production and unlocking value from its Zimbabwe assets, with Redwing and Mazowe identified as priority brownfield projects due to their existing infrastructure and historical workings.
Namib plans to invest between US$300 million and US$400 million in restarting and expanding Redwing and Mazowe. “We want to build a capital-efficient African mining platform, one that creates real value for investors, employees, and the communities we operate in,” Sikwila said. He added that while How Mine demonstrates capacity, the bigger opportunity is “unlocking the full potential” of the broader asset base.
To support technical work, the company has appointed Antonio Nieto as vice-president for technical services, bringing more than 25 years of international mining experience, according to the report. Engineering firm WSP Global has also been engaged to lead definitive feasibility studies across Namib’s assets, including Redwing.
On employment, NewsDay reported that some workers at Redwing and Mazowe have started returning as rehabilitation work accelerates. Direct employment across Namib’s Zimbabwe operations is expected to increase from 1 375 to around 3 100 as Redwing and Mazowe return to production, excluding indirect jobs linked to procurement and suppliers.
The company also outlined community commitments, saying it intends to replicate How Mine’s model at Redwing and Mazowe. At How Mine, Namib has supported healthcare infrastructure projects in Bulawayo and across Matabeleland provinces, while operating a clinic that provides free basic healthcare services.
“At Redwing, for example, we are upgrading the mine clinic, which provides free basic healthcare to the surrounding community,” Sikwila said. “A new ambulance has been acquired to serve the community and the mine bus will be available for local schoolchildren. It’s just the start of many community partnership projects.”
As global interest in gold remains strong, the company’s restart efforts at Redwing and Mazowe are being framed as part of a wider push to build a larger Zimbabwean production base. “What I want people to understand is that this is not just a plan on paper,” Sikwila said. “It is already in motion.”
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