Lithium mining giant Zimbabwe Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe (PLZ), owned by Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt, has spent US$ 2.5million on corporate social response (CSR) projects in Goromonzi district, Mashoanaland East province, over the past two years.
The mining firm, which launched a US$300 million processing plant in July this year, has a special focus on infrastructural development, agriculture, reducing environmental degradation, and boosting access to public health as well as education.
Speaking during a media tour on Tuesday, the company's director in the general manager's office, Yu Long said PLZ is striving towards implementing high impact projects in surrounding communities.
"We made corresponding policy commitments on the selected topics, and strive to achieve consistency in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) management by formulating and implementing comprehensive ESG policies and management systems, diversity and robustness, and make due contributions to the development of a community with a shared future for mankind in a responsible manner," he said.
Some of the projects implemented by PLZ in Goromonzi district include employment of locals at its plant, widening and rehabilitation of roads, installation of street lights at Goromonzi business centre, among other projects.
The mining firm has also constructed three classroom blocks and two staff houses at Vhuta Primary School, a semi-detached teachers’ house at Belmont Primary School, in addition to donations of furniture and stationery at five other schools.
Goromonzi district development coordinator Prisca Dube applauded PLZ for its benevolence, which has promoted economic development while reducing criminal activities in the district.
"For economic development we need road networks and bridges that are good and what PLZ is doing is a good example of it because the bridges and new roads connect members of the community to the service centre, we have farmers who need to transport their produce to the market.
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"For the solar lights, it is a welcome development because it has scared away criminal activities that were taking place along the streets," she said.
Chinese miners have recently been targeting Zimbabwe’s lithium mines, which hold a great deal of promise given that most of the mineral reserves remain unexplored.
It is believed that China owns the largest lithium reserves in Africa.
