Dual-listed Caledonia Mining Corporation’s solar plant at the Blanket gold mine, in Zimbabwe, started operating on November 14 and will soon supply about 27% of the mine’s average daily electricity demand.
The mine, however, still receives the majority of its electricity from Zimbabwe’s State-owned power utility Zesa.
Caledonia took it upon itself to install a 12.2 MW solar plant at the mine to make up for severe power constraints and inconsistent supply in the country, which has had economic and safety implications for the underground mine.
Prior to installation, during outages or low voltages, the company had to supplement with diesel generators to enable uninterrupted mining and capital operations, which comes with its own set of implications on the environment and cost-wise.
“With 21% of Blanket’s on-mine costs relating to energy use, this solar plant is an important project for Caledonia, as it will improve the quality and security of the mine’s electricity supply and provide environmental benefits through cleaner energy.
“The solar power will displace more expensive power from the grid and from the diesel generators, and is expected to reduce Caledonia’s consolidated cost per ounce of gold produced by about $37,” CEO Mark Learmonth explains.