The Zimbabwean government has signed a deal with an Australian company to build a US$200-million platinum refinery, according to the southern African country’s Minister of Mines, Walter Chidhakwa.
Chidhakwa said the government’s mining arm, Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation, would own 30% of the refinery, the privately owned Australian firm Kelltech would own 49%, and the balance would be held by a local Zimbabwean company, Golden Sparrow.
Kelltech director Keith Liddell was quoted by Reuters news agency as saying that the refinery would be built using new technology that would cut costs and reduce construction time.
About two years ago, the Zimbabwean government imposed a 15% tax on raw platinum ore exports to force companies to process locally. The tax was suspended after mining companies agreed to support local platinum processing.
