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]
 Aerial view of Skorpion Zink Mine | |
| Location | |
|---|---|
  Skorpion Zinc Location in Namibia | |
| Location | Rosh Pinah |
| Region | Karas |
| Country | Namibia |
| Coordinates | 27°49′07″S 016°36′00″E |
| Production | |
| Products | Zinc |
| Production | 66,000 tonnes[1] |
| Financial year | 2018 |
| History | |
| Opened | 2003 |
| Owner | |
| Company | Vedanta Resources |
| Year of acquisition | 2010 |
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]
References
- McKay, David (4 April 2019). "Vedanta Zinc suffers impact of Skorpion strike, brings annual shutdown forward". Miningmx. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
- "Anglo American's Skorpion zinc mine and refinery in Namibia officially opened". London: Anglo American plc. 12 September 2003. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
- "Glencore buys 80% of Rosh Pinah". The Namibian. Mining Weekly. 16 December 2011.
- Hartman, Adam (May 2019). "Evolution of Namibia's mining towns". Mining Journal supplement to The Namibian. pp. 26–33.
- "Industry Trend Analysis - Global Zinc Mining Outlook" (PDF). Mining.com. 4 October 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
- 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.
- Hinder, Gisela (2 May 2015). "Skorpion Zinc mine – another new mineral discovered". Cape Town Gem and Mineral Club. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
- 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.
- "Vedanta completes acquisition of Skorpion Zinc Mine for $707 mn". The Economic Times. Gurugram, Haryana. 4 December 2010. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
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.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)