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Eureka Gold Mine Zimbabwe: Location, History, Operations and Vacancies

Eureka Gold Mine Zimbabwe: Location, History, Operations and Vacancies

Eureka Gold Mine is a major commercial gold mine in Zimbabwe. Located in the Guruve District of Mashonaland Central Province, the mine has a history stretching back more than a century. Today, under the ownership of Dallaglio Investments a subsidiary of Padenga Holdings it stands as a fully operational, technologically advanced mine that is reshaping gold production in the country. Whether you want to understand the mine’s operations or explore Eureka Gold Mine vacancies and career opportunities, this guide covers what you need to know.

Where Is Eureka Gold Mine Located?

Eureka Gold Mine is situated in the Mashonaland Central Province, approximately 150 km northwest of Harare and 4 km southeast of Guruve town in northern Zimbabwe. The Guruve District location places it within a well-known greenstone belt the same geology that makes Zimbabwe one of Southern Africa’s most significant gold-producing nations. Mining Zimbabwe

The mine sits near several rural communities. At Eureka mine, Dallaglio provides support to 12 villages in the surrounding area, making the operation an important economic anchor for the wider Guruve region. For a broader view of the national industry, see Gold Mining in Zimbabwe.

A Brief History of Eureka Gold Mine

Eureka’s mining history is long and varied. First mining began in the area at Eureka in 1906 to 1908, with underground mining at the mine site commencing in 1950. Mineral rights ownership changed hands several times over the following decades.

The most notable modern chapter began when Delta Gold Zimbabwe (DGZ) and its exploration arm, Masasa Mines, signed a joint venture agreement with the then-owners in August 1995 and commenced exploration. Eureka gold mine, operating as an open pit, commenced mining in January 1999 and poured its first gold in June 1999.

Open-pit and leach operations continued until February 2008, when the assets were placed on care and maintenance. The mine went through various assessment and scoping studies over the following years, and Delta Gold Zimbabwe placed the Eureka mineral assets on the market between 2015 and 2018, attracting interest from several mining groups.

The mineral and infrastructural assets were subsequently 100% acquired by Dallaglio in 2018, marking the beginning of the mine’s most ambitious revival.

Who Owns Eureka Gold Mine?

Dallaglio Investments develops and operates commercial scale Zimbabwean gold mines and is one of the top three gold producers in the country. The company operates under the guiding principle that “mines are not found, they are built.”

Padenga Holdings has become the 100% shareholder of Dallaglio Investments. This means Eureka Gold Mine is ultimately owned through the Padenga Holdings corporate structure, a company listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange. Dallaglio manages the day-to-day mine operations on behalf of the group.

Dallaglio acquired Eureka Mine in 2018. Dallaglio also operates Cordillera, a custom operation providing milling services to artisanal miners in the Chegutu area, and Pickstone Peerless Mine near Chegutu.

Eureka Gold Mine Operations

Refurbishment and Recommissioning

After acquiring the mine, Dallaglio undertook a major refurbishment programme. The Eureka repair and refurbishment project commenced on 17 January 2020, with the goal of building a state-of-the-art CIL plant capable of processing 100,000 tonnes of ore per month.

Eureka mine officially transitioned from the project to operational phase at the beginning of September 2021. Since then, the mine achieved many milestones, including milling more than 100,000 tonnes of ore in a month, mining more than a million tonnes from the pit, and producing an average of 100 kg of gold per month.

On 21 October 2021, the mine was officially opened by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, marking a significant moment for Zimbabwe’s gold sector.

Mining Method

Eureka operates as an open-pit gold mine. Dallaglio conducts its open pit mining operations through outsourced services. The ore is extracted from a large open pit and transported to the processing plant on site. For readers interested in the technical side of extraction, underground gold mining methods are also part of Eureka’s longer-term development plan, given the resource’s potential depth.

Gold Processing Plant

Eureka operates a gold processing plant utilising Gravity concentration and Carbon in Leach (CIL) technology to produce gold bullion, which is then sold to Fidelity Gold Refinery.

The CIL plant has a processing capacity of 112,000 tonnes per month and produces approximately 130 kg of gold from the open pit every month. The plant is widely regarded as one of the most technically advanced gold processing facilities in Zimbabwe.

Production Record

The mine’s output has grown consistently since recommissioning. According to Eureka Mine General Manager Eng Nelson Banda, the mine started off at 420 kg in 2021, leapt to 1,617 kg in 2023, and was forecasted to produce 1,660 kg in 2024. The 2021 figure covers only the September to December production window the mine’s first partial year of operation which makes the subsequent growth even more significant.

The mine has achieved a 93% gold recovery rate, a strong result by international standards.

Ore Reserves and Mine Life

The open pit being exploited at Eureka has 10.3 million tonnes in ore reserves containing approximately 450,000 ounces of gold, at an average grade of 1.36 g/t.

A future scoping study will be used to determine at which point to transition to underground mining. The potential inferred underground reserve of 560,380 ounces would add approximately 9 years of mining, making the current projected life of mine 14 years in total.

Energy and Sustainability

In April 2024, Invictus Energy Limited signed an MoU with Dallaglio Investments and power generation firm Himoinsa Southern Africa for a gas-to-power project. The envisioned power generation facility is anticipated to commence with an initial capacity of 12MW, expandable to 50MW, providing a more dependable and environmentally friendly energy supply. Dallaglio is also investing in a 7 MW solar facility at Eureka to further reduce reliance on diesel-fired backup power.

Eureka Gold Mine Vacancies and Career Opportunities

Current Vacancy Status

Eureka Gold Mine vacancies are managed through Dallaglio Investments’ official careers page. As of the time of writing, the Dallaglio careers page states: “Currently, there are no vacancies open. Kindly keep checking this page in case anything comes up.”

This means no specific roles are currently advertised. Readers should verify the latest position directly with the employer before taking any action.

Types of Roles at Eureka

Although no positions are open at this moment, Eureka Gold Mine is a large commercial operation and has historically recruited across a wide range of disciplines. Based on the mine’s scale and operational structure, roles at sites like Eureka typically include:

  • Mine management and operations: mine managers, mine captains, and pit supervisors
  • Technical services: mine planners, surveyors, and geologists
  • Plant and processing: metallurgists, plant operators, and CIL technicians
  • Mechanical and electrical: maintenance engineers, diesel mechanics, and electricians
  • Safety and environment: SHE officers and environmental compliance staff
  • Administration and support: HR, finance, procurement, and logistics

Dallaglio employs over 1,000 people, and this workforce was set to increase to 1,400 following the commissioning of the underground operation at Pickstone Peerless. As operations grow, the workforce requirement across the group is expected to increase.

How to Find Eureka Gold Mine Jobs

If you are looking for Eureka Gold Mine jobs in Zimbabwe, follow these steps:

  1. Check the official Dallaglio careers page at dallaglio.co.zw/careers.html regularly. This is the primary source for verified Eureka Gold Mine recruitment.
  2. Monitor the Padenga Holdings website at padenga.com for group-wide announcements and updates.
  3. Follow Dallaglio Investments on LinkedIn, where the company has historically posted vacancy alerts.
  4. Check reputable Zimbabwean job boards such as Vacancy Mail Zimbabwe and similar platforms, where Dallaglio has advertised roles in the past.
  5. Prepare your CV in advance. Roles at commercial gold mines typically require relevant qualifications, professional registration where applicable, and demonstrable experience in a mining environment.

Do not pay anyone claiming to facilitate applications on behalf of Dallaglio or Eureka Gold Mine. Always apply through official employer channels.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Eureka Gold Mine located?

Eureka Gold Mine is located in the Guruve District of Mashonaland Central Province, Zimbabwe, approximately 150 km northwest of Harare and about 4 km southeast of Guruve town. The mine sits within a well-established greenstone geological belt in northern Zimbabwe.

Who owns and operates Eureka Gold Mine in Zimbabwe?

Eureka Gold Mine is operated by Dallaglio Investments, a Zimbabwean gold mining company that is a wholly owned subsidiary of Padenga Holdings. Dallaglio acquired the mine in 2018 and recommissioned it in 2021 after a major refurbishment programme.

How can I find current Eureka Gold Mine vacancies?

The most reliable source for Eureka Gold Mine vacancies is the official Dallaglio Investments careers page at dallaglio.co.zw/careers.html. The company also posts recruitment notices on its LinkedIn page. As of the time this article was last updated, no vacancies are currently listed. Always check the official employer page and verify closing dates before submitting an application.

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