Essar delegation tours HCCL in Zimbabwe

A high powered Essar Energy Holdings delegation toured Hwange Colliery Company Limited (HCCL) as it steps up its preparations to resume iron smeltering with its partner, Ziscosteel.

The Indian/Mauritius-based company is partnering with Zisco to resuscitate the Redcliff-based steelmaking plant and is looking forward to purchasing coal for iron smelting at HCCL.

The visiting officials comprised of the vice president mining, Abhijit Bhattacharya, vice president-business development, Pramod Prusty, director-business development, RK Zaroo and DGM Geology, Shakti Patnaik.

HCCL corporate affairs manager, Burzil Dube confirmed the visit by the Essar Energy Holding official, but could not be drawn to shed more light.

“I can confirm that officials from Essar Energy Holdings held a meeting with our management and told our mines that they made a familiarization on our mines. As you know Essar has been identified as a partner for Zisco which used to be one of our biggest clients before it stopped operation thus I think the visit by the official is to re-affirm their interest of doing business with us,” said Dube.

Talks for the finalization of Zisco-Essar deal were adjourned as officials of the Mauritian-based company said they needed to make further consultations on the issue.