A
groundbreaking
US$3.6
billion
energy
industrial
park
is
set
to
transform
Beitbridge
following
a
collaboration
between
the
Government
of
Zimbabwe,
Chinese
mining
firm
Palm
River
Energy,
and
the
Metallurgical
Special
Economic
Zone.
The
park,
located
20
km
west
of
Beitbridge
town,
aims
to
bolster
Zimbabwe’s
mining
and
energy
sectors
through
the
production
of
stainless
steel,
along
with
significant
infrastructure
and
employment
opportunities.
In
its
first
year,
the
project
has
already
employed
400
local
workers,
with
plans
to
expand
to
2,000
employees
once
fully
operational.
Covering
5,100
hectares
within
a
designated
Special
Economic
Zone
(SEZ),
the
initiative
represents
a
strategic
move
to
develop
Beitbridge
into
an
integrated
mining
and
energy
hub.
The
launch
of
the
industrial
park
follows
discussions
between
Palm
River
Energy
chairman
Mr.
Xong
Xi
Dong
and
President
Emmerson
Mnangagwa,
who
greenlit
the
project
as
part
of
his
administration’s
“Zimbabwe
is
open
for
business”
policy.
The
park’s
first
phase,
a
joint
venture
between
the
Government,
Xintai
Resources,
and
Tuli
Coal,
includes
the
establishment
of
a
coking
plant
capable
of
producing
one
million
tonnes
of
coke
annually,
a
ferro-chrome
smelting
plant
to
generate
100,000
tonnes
of
high-carbon
ferro-chrome,
and
a
1,200
MW
coal-fired
thermal
power
plant.
Excess
power
produced
by
the
facility
will
be
fed
into
the
national
grid.
The
ferro-chrome
plant
will
contribute
to
the
production
of
special
and
stainless
steel,
positioning
Zimbabwe
as
a
major
player
in
global
steel
production.
Coal
for
the
park
will
be
sourced
from
Tuli
Coal
Mine,
with
plans
to
export
coal
products
to
international
markets,
boosting
foreign
currency
earnings.
Mines
and
Mining
Development
Minister
Winston
Chitando,
following
a
recent
tour
of
the
project,
praised
President
Mnangagwa
for
securing
the
necessary
capital
and
monitoring
progress
closely.
“This
project
exemplifies
the
success
of
the
Second
Republic’s
‘Zimbabwe
is
open
for
business’
mantra,”
said
Minister
Chitando.
He
noted
that
the
first
phase
of
thermal
power
production
is
well
underway,
with
the
initial
50
MW
expected
to
be
followed
by
an
additional
50
MW.
Minister
Chitando
also
highlighted
the
value
addition
programme,
where
coking
coal
from
Tuli
Coal
Mine
and
Hwange
will
support
coke
production.
He
commended
the
investors
for
adopting
environmentally
responsible
technologies,
such
as
closed
arc
furnaces,
which
minimize
emissions
and
use
byproduct
gases
for
electricity
generation.
“This
innovation
illustrates
a
responsible
approach
to
production
that
should
be
emulated
by
other
high-carbon
ferro-chrome
producers,”
he
said,
urging
other
producers
to
contribute
to
the
country’s
electricity
generation
efforts.
The
park’s
impact
on
Beitbridge
and
Matabeleland
South
Province
is
expected
to
be
transformative.
Minister
of
State
for
Matabeleland
South
Provincial
Affairs
and
Devolution
Dr.
Evelyn
Ndlovu
emphasized
the
project’s
long-term
benefits.
“This
project
will
transform
Beitbridge
District
and
the
entire
province.
It
involves
mining,
energy
production,
and
value
addition,
and
will
significantly
boost
the
provincial
GDP,”
said
Dr.
Ndlovu.
In
addition
to
industrial
development,
a
skills
training
programme
in
collaboration
with
the
Harare
Institute
of
Technology
will
be
introduced
to
equip
locals
with
relevant
expertise.
Dr.
Ndlovu
also
revealed
that
the
project
will
give
rise
to
a
new
township,
featuring
low,
medium,
and
high-density
suburbs
to
accommodate
workers
and
their
families.
The
establishment
of
the
Beitbridge
Special
Economic
Zone
in
2018
is
part
of
President
Mnangagwa’s
broader
vision
to
attract
foreign
direct
investment
and
foster
economic
growth
in
strategic
areas.
The
energy
industrial
park
is
a
major
milestone
in
that
journey,
contributing
to
Zimbabwe’s
industrialisation
goals
and
the
Government’s
Vision
2030
to
build
a
modern,
prosperous
nation.