Ran Mine Expansion Marks Resurgence in Zimbabwean Gold Production
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Ran Mine, a gold mine situated in Bindura, is undergoing a significant expansion project aimed at dramatically increasing its ore processing capacity and contributing to Zimbabwe’s burgeoning mining sector. This initiative signifies renewed investor confidence in the country’s mining potential and aligns with the government’s economic growth vision.
The expansion project targets nearly doubling the mine’s ore processing capacity from the current 23,000 tonnes per month to an impressive 40,000 tonnes per month by the end of next year. This substantial increase will significantly boost the mine’s output and contribute to Zimbabwe’s overall gold production.
Key components of the expansion include the installation of a new mill in December to meet the increased processing target, as well as additional crushers and leach tanks to support the increased throughput.
Ran Mine Geology Manager Ryan Rosenfields stated that the mine is opening up a new pit for open-cast mining. “From what you see, we are still to go another 40 metres down within the life expectancy of this pit, which will see us feeding the plant for the next 12 months or so based on current milling production numbers,” said Rosenfields.
The gold mine aims to reach an output of around 1 million tonnes of ore per year, according to Ran Mine Corporate Manager Jack Murehwa. “With the additional mill, we have the capacity to process 23,000 tonnes of ore per month. Our intention is to grow, and by the end of next year, we will be processing 40,000 tonnes per month, amounting to about a million tonnes per year,” Murehwa said.
The ambitious expansion project is expected to cost approximately $18 million upon completion, which will include a larger milling plant, a tailings dam facility, and a flotation plant to remove excess copper found in some of the ore deposits at Ran Mine.
Ran Mine, which was closed in 2009, reopened in 2020 through a partnership between locals, Australian, and Malaysian investors, answering the government’s call to attract foreign investment and revitalise the mining sector.
The reopening has already had a positive impact on the local community. Bindura Town Councillor Edward Nyekete noted that the mine has become a key economic driver in the town. “This is one of the mines chasing the President’s vision of establishing a middle-income society by 2030. When the mine was closed, locals had no jobs here, but it started with 30 workers and now there are around 200 employees and various contractors,” said Nyekete.
The resurgence of Ran Mine is seen as a significant step towards achieving President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s vision of establishing a middle-income society by 2030. The mine’s growth exemplifies the mining sector’s potential to drive economic development and improve livelihoods.
Ran Mine is part of a larger trend of mining sector revitalisation in Mashonaland Central Province. Since 2018, other mines, such as Eureka Gold Mine and Shamva Gold Mine, have also been reopened, demonstrating the region’s growing importance in Zimbabwe’s mining industry.
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