HARARE – Hwange Colliery Company Limited (HCCL) has commissioned its rehabilitated Coke Oven Battery following an investment of US$8 million, marking the resumption of coke production for the first time since 2014 and signaling a major milestone in Zimbabwe’s industrial value-addition drive.
The refurbished facility has an initial production capacity of 18,000 tonnes of metallurgical coke per month, supplying a key raw material for the steel and manufacturing sectors while reducing reliance on imports.
The commissioning forms part of HCCL’s broader expansion strategy, underpinned by a US$60 million underground mining investment in partnership with Zhongjin Investments. The project is expected to significantly increase coal production, with output targeted to rise from the current 600,000 tonnes in 2025 to 2.5 million tonnes in 2026, before reaching 3 million tonnes in 2027.
Once fully operational, the coke plant is projected to produce 1.8 million tonnes of coke annually, strengthening Zimbabwe’s industrial base and supporting downstream manufacturing.
In addition to coke production, HCCL plans to maximize value from its operations through a diversified revenue model. By-products including tar, gas, and carbon black will complement coke sales, while coke oven gas will supply a planned 420-megawatt power station, creating an additional revenue stream and improving energy security.
The investment is also expected to generate more than 1,000 direct and indirect jobs, boosting economic activity in Hwange and contributing to Zimbabwe’s National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) objectives of industrialization, value addition, and sustainable economic growth.
HCCL said the commissioning marks a transition from mine rehabilitation to large-scale production, positioning the company as a key player in Zimbabwe’s mining, energy, and manufacturing value chains.
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