Skorpion Zinc

Skorpion Zinc is a zinc mine in the ǁKaras Region of southern Namibia, producing Special High Grade (SHG) zinc. The mine is situated near Rosh Pinah. It was established at a cost of US$450 million by Anglo American in 2003.[2][3] It is the tenth-largest zinc mine in the world, and the largest employer in Rosh Pinah, providing 1,900 jobs.[4][5]

Skorpion Zinc
Aerial view of Skorpion Zink Mine
Location
Skorpion Zinc is located in Namibia
Skorpion Zinc
Skorpion Zinc
Location in Namibia
LocationRosh Pinah
RegionKaras
CountryNamibia
Coordinates27°49′07″S 016°36′00″E
Production
ProductsZinc
Production66,000 tonnes[1]
Financial year2018
History
Opened2003
Owner
CompanyVedanta Resources
Year of acquisition2010

Skorpion is a unique mine in several ways. Firstly, it is a supergene zinc ore body composed of alluvial accumulations of zinc carbonate and silicate minerals of detrital nature deposited within a palaeochannel. There are no other currently commercially viable deposits of this type. It is also one of the few mines in the world that currently mines zinc oxides, a mixture of non-sulphidic zinc minerals such as smithsonite, hydrozincite, tarbuttite and willemite. Finally, it is the only zinc processing facility to use solvent extraction-electrowinning metallurgy to process and refine its zinc products (others using conventional smelting and roasting).[6][7]

The Skorpion SX-EW plant creates Special High Grade, ultra-pure zinc cathode as a primary product, which is so low in impurities that it commands a price premium.[8]

In November 2010 the project was acquired by Vedanta Resources at a cost of US$707 million.[9] In 2019, Vedanta announced mining would be suspended for a four months due to technical problems.[10] Then in 2020 Vedanta placed the mine on care and maintenance due to pit failures.[11]

See also

References
  1. McKay, David (4 April 2019). "Vedanta Zinc suffers impact of Skorpion strike, brings annual shutdown forward". Miningmx. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  2. "Anglo American's Skorpion zinc mine and refinery in Namibia officially opened". London: Anglo American plc. 12 September 2003. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  3. "Glencore buys 80% of Rosh Pinah". The Namibian. Mining Weekly. 16 December 2011.
  4. Hartman, Adam (May 2019). "Evolution of Namibia's mining towns". Mining Journal supplement to The Namibian. pp. 26–33.
  5. "Industry Trend Analysis - Global Zinc Mining Outlook" (PDF). Mining.com. 4 October 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  6. Sole, Kathy; Fuls, Herman; Gnoinski, Jürgen. "Skorpion Zinc: Mine-to-metal zinc production via solvent extraction" (PDF). MINTEK. Johannesburg: Skorpion Zinc, Anglo Research. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  7. Hinder, Gisela (2 May 2015). "Skorpion Zinc mine – another new mineral discovered". Cape Town Gem and Mineral Club. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  8. Sole, Kathryn C. (2008). "The influence and benefits of an upstream solvent-extraction circuit on the electrowinning of zinc in sulfate media: The Skorpion Zinc process". ResearchGate. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  9. "Vedanta completes acquisition of Skorpion Zinc Mine for $707 mn". The Economic Times. Gurugram, Haryana. 4 December 2010. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  10. "Vedanta to shut down Skorpion zinc operations Namibia for four months". Reuters. 2019-10-10. Retrieved 2022-05-30.
  11. Ganta, Himaja (2020-03-31). "Vedanta to suspend operations at Skorpion Zinc unit in Namibia". Mining Technology. Retrieved 2022-05-30.

Sources
  • Gregor Borg, Katrin Kärner, Mike Buxton, Richard Armstrong, Schalk W. van der Merwe (2003). "Geology of the Skorpion Supergene Zinc Deposit, Southern Namibia". Economic Geology. 98 (4): 749–771. doi:10.2113/98.4.749.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

See also


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