Chinese chrome firm eyes production boost

Gweru (The Times-New Ziana) – Gweru-based Chinese firm, Jin An Corporation, is working on creating a world-class industrial park for the chromium industry in Gweru, which will create more jobs and rake in at least US$260 million annually.

The industrial park is part of the firm’s expansion programme which, upon completion, is expected to create an estimated 3 900 jobs that will benefit local residents.

Jin An Corporation general manager Zhengqiao Zhou said the park will boast of the key components required for value addition which include a factory for production of essential spare parts, a brick plant, lime plant and electrode paste plant.

Zhou said on completion, the industrial park will help cut on imports, saving the country millions of foreign currency.

“The project we are looking at here is already underway, and I think this will be good for Gweru and the country. As Jin An, we want to form a comprehensive company, not only confined to chrome but all the related processes so that we cut costs, especially imports,” said Zhou.

“We have the necessary expertise and some of the materials we can produce locally.”

Part of the expansion project is doubling the furnaces to 10 in order to support the already existing furnaces.

Zhou was concerned over the shortage of chrome to process at the plants and said the company is appealing to government for issuance of claims.

“We do not have enough raw materials and we are appealing for support from government to get mine claims so that we have enough feed to support our expansion projects,” he said.

Mines and Mining Development Deputy Minister Polite Kambamura said the Government will look at chrome smelters’ concerns and ensure they got claims in order to boost production and rake in more foreign currency.
The Times-New Ziana