
HARARE – Platinum mining operations at Mimosa and Zimplats – the two Zimbabwean platinum assets in which Impala Platinum has interests – were not affected by the #Shutdown protest action that rocked Zimbabwe and disrupted economic activity last week.
Implats controls Zimplats, while it jointly owns Mimosa together with Sibanye Stillwater, making it the biggest platinum investor in the troubled southern African country. Anglo Platinum is the other platinum group metals producer as it controls the Unki mine, which is set to commission a smelter plant in the next few weeks.
South African investors have largely maintained their investments in Zimbabwe, despite currency woes and rising operating costs as local inflation spirals out of hand. Implats said its mining operations had not been affected by the strike action, although its head office in Harare was affected by the #Shutdown demonstrations over a massive hike in fuel prices.
“Demonstrations were mostly centred around the urban areas, which impacted some of our head office workers in Harare.
"Our mining operations were not directly impacted by the demonstrations,” said Implats spokesperson Johan Theron on Friday.