Beyond steel, Tsingshan has diversified investments in Zimbabwe, including ferrochrome, coking coal, and lithium mining operations. The expansion aims to bolster the Dinson plant’s production capacity to support regional industrial needs.
Project director Wilfred Motsi said: “We are ready for the next stage, but we will look closely at market conditions before committing. We need to be sure the market can take that much product.” The funds will support a blast furnace, centering facilities, rolling mills, and steel production infrastructure, doubling output from 600,000 metric tons of carbon steel annually to 1.2 million metric tons.
Tsingshan will evaluate market demand before fully implementing the expansion. The plant’s first phase included a 50-megawatt thermal power plant to lessen reliance on Zimbabwe’s electricity grid, with furnace gas supplying about 20% of its energy needs.
Information Minister Jenfan Muswere noted: “The plant would help reduce the country’s steel import bill, which he estimated at $1 billion annually.” The project is poised to enhance Zimbabwe’s economic self-reliance by reducing steel imports.
