A LOCAL investor BER–Pig Iron and Steel Company (BPISC) has invested US$43,8 million to establish an iron ore processing plant in Redcliff, Midlands province.
The company will run under a local consortium Berhard Development Corporation (PVT) Limited.
Speaking on the sidelines of a business expo held in Kwekwe recently, BPISC chief executive Bernard Mutanga said the plant would be established on a 500 hectare plot acquired from Redcliff Town Council.
“The state-of-the-art processing plant will see 10 blast furnaces established with a combined production of 870 000 tonnes of pig iron,” Mutanga said.
“Through this venture we aim to reduce the importation of pig iron and steel products. We expect to generate over 1 000 jobs and an estimated 5 000 indirect opportunities through local businesses and the supply chain.”
He said the BPISC was collaborating with the University of Zimbabwe for its research and development strategy, while a Chinese company, HANFA Group, would provide the blast furnaces and assist in the plant’s installation.
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“Installation of the plant and production is expected to commence in August. The plant will be developed in four phases with full production expected within three years.
“The first phase will produce 240 tonnes per day of pig iron. The modern blast furnaces will be equipped with hot blast stoves, belles’ tops and pulverised coal injection including oxygen enrichment,” Mutanga said.
He said sintering machines with an annual capacity of 1 200 000 tonnes will also be installed and the equipment will improve the productivity of the blast furnaces, lower the coke rate and allow the usage of low iron bearing material and low coke breeze in production.
Mutanga said blast furnaces will have a waste heat recovery coke plant of 0,6 tonnes per year and a power plant of approximately 60 megawatts based on the waste heat from the coke plant and blast furnace gas which will be supplied by Chinese company, Hangzhou Azbel Technology.
“The pig iron will be produced from iron ore, limestone, coal and agreements have already been signed to secure iron ore fines from Ziscosteel, Buchwa mining company as well as other sources in Beitbridge, Mount Darwin and Macheke respectively,” he added.