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FUTURE OF FERROCHROME IN ZIMBABWE

In Zimbabwe, chrome occurs in two distinct geological environments; the Great Dyke and the
Greenstone belts. About 95% of chromium resources are geographically concentrated in southern
Africa and Zimbabwe is estimated to host over 80% of the world’s resources of metallurgical1
quality chromite, mainly on the Great Dyke. Government policy on ferrochrome industries
should be favorable to increase investor’s confidence since Zimbabwe contains high quality
grades of chrome as a result good market prices.

Ferrochrome Smelting Challenges

1. inadequate power supply and cost; considerable investment into the power sector is
urgently required, comprehensive policy covering energy generation, supply and
management that can attract investment in the power and solar technology adoption
2. Decrease of quality coal reserves; try new reductants including bio-carbons in form of
charcoal produced from different woods.
3. Zimbabwe is both landlocked and far from the major markets; reduce the ex-works
cost of production in order to compete with producers who are geographically closer to
the markets.
4. old technologies; new technology, especially technology that can process fines.
5. chromite currently being mined requires agglomeration to achieve viable smelting
efficiencies
6. perceived political/economic instability resulting in cash shortages and capital
availability

The future of ferrochrome production in Zimbabwe should adopt to Premus Technology which
have the following advantages

 the lowest cost of production, better efficiencies

 low coke consumption (justifying low coke production in Zimbabwe)
 100% agglomeration and produces a low silicon product.