Government reveals plan for Bikita ammonium plant

GOVERNMENT has unveiled plans to facilitate establishment of a multi-million dollar ammonium sulphate processing plant in Bikita, Masvingo province.

The project would be useful in import substitution and is expected to help the country save at least $50 million annual spending on water purification chemicals.

Mines and Mining Development Minister, Winston Chitando, told delegates during a recent stakeholders' luncheon at Masvingo Polytechnic that boosting domestic production was critical towards achievement of the middle-income economy by 2030 through opening job opportunities and increasing exports.

"We are also working on establishing an ammonium sulphate plant in Bikita where the country will be saved from incurring about $50 million in importing the chemical, per year.

"The chemical is used in water purification and we will be producing it in our own country and also being able to export some of it," said Minister Chitando. He said the ambitious project, which should be in full swing in two years' time would employ more than 300 people.

"We have to be self sufficient by 2030. We should be able to employ our people and this project will create not less than 300 direct jobs thereby addressing the challenge of unemployment in the province.

"Our aim as the new dispensation led by President Mnangagwa is to achieve a middle income economy by 2030. There is no doubt that will be achieved," he said.

The minister said Government was also planning to increase production of lithium in the country and that a pilot project was already in motion in Kwekwe.

"Apart from Bikita Minerals where we are mining lithium, we have a pilot plant in Kwekwe in the Midlands. We have already done a test run on our ability to produce lithium carbonate," he said.