By Own Correspondent – Thursday 30 May 2019
MIDLANDS (Mining Index) – ZIMCOKE is poised to become the leading producer of metallurgical coke in Africa following the commissioning of the US$400 million coke producing plant in Midlands today.
Zimcoke is set to produce 400 million tons of coke per annum and is expected to create circa 1000 jobs.
Industry and Commerce Minister, Mangaliso Ndlovu officially opened Zimcoke today.
“Zimcoke will become one of the largest producers of metallurgical coke for the region and will start by supplying the South African market which is currently facing challenges with supplies from China,” revealed the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting services.
“To meet its own power demands Zimcoke is planning a gas turbine plant on site with the capacity to produce 25 to 30 megawatts of electrical energy. This will be made possible by the production of surplus coke oven gas from the coke ovens.”
Direct investment into Zimcoke is expected to resuscitate Zimchem, one of its associate companies, with Zimchem projected to produce 20 products which include material for road construction.
Coke production was classified under one of the quick-win projects in Finance and Economic Development minister Mthuli Ncube’s Transitional Stabilisation Program (TSP) including the ”development of further downstream refinery value chains from the resuscitation of the ZISCO Steel plant that manufactures coke, which was last functional in 2008.”
In 2017, Zimcoke and Zisco signed an agreement of sale where Zimcoke acquired coke making assets of ZISCO consisting of the plant and machinery, land and buildings; and associated infrastructure for coal handling and rail wagons.
The resuscitation of the plant will be carried out in three phases, starting with the operationalization of the Coke Oven Battery Number 3 which has the capacity to produce between 250 000 to 300 000 tons of coke per annum, with potential to generate US$65 million in export shipments. ENDS//
