Having been placed in suspension in January 2020, the Zulti South project has been approved by diversified mining company Rio Tinto, which will invest $473-million in the project, extending the mine’s life to 2050, ensuring Rio Tinto subsidiary Richards Bay Minerals’ (RBM’s) operational continuity for years.

RBM’s current operations are in the Zulti North lease area, which includes a mineral separation plant and smelting facility, but the orebody is declining. Consequently, Zulti South is important to RBM to maintain stable production of zircon, rutile and ilmenite and support rutile sales over the life-of-mine.

“RBM is the largest mining operation in KwaZulu-Natal. As a standalone mineral sands operation, this extension means that RBM can continue to play this role,” Rio Tinto iron and titanium Africa operations and RBM MD Werner Duvenhage states.

“Lifting the suspension on Zulti South means securing the future of RBM. This project is not about expansion: it represents our commitment to sustaining jobs and continuing to make a meaningful contribution to the province, the country and the host communities,” he explains. 

Additionally, the decision to proceed reflects improved security conditions and strengthened community partnerships. The support of government, Amakhosi and host communities has been vital in “getting RBM to where it is today, while establishing this stability”.

Meanwhile, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) has been appointed as the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor for the construction of Zulti South, owing to its proven performance and strong track record, which includes a strategic partnership with Rio Tinto on the Simandou project in Guinea.

At the Simandou project, CHEC demonstrated “successful delivery of complex EPC scopes, compliance with health, safety, environment and community standards, rapid mobilisation, integration of global expertise with local execution and a firm commitment to localisation, community engagement and supplier development”.

The latter is particularly apt, given RBM’s relationship with host communities as well as its commitment to working with all stakeholders to ensure the project’s continued success, Duvenhage notes.

“CHEC’s successful track record at Simandou, along with its established presence on the continent, including in South Africa, gives us confidence in their ability to deliver Zulti South safely, efficiently and in alignment with our community and local content commitments,” he avers.

RBM has written into its contracts with CHEC the minimum requirements pertaining to the awarding of procurement opportunities to community-based companies. Duvenhage adds that RBM will jointly work with CHEC to develop skills that can be applied to the continuous running of Zulti South.

According to CHEC VP Southern Africa, Edward Xu, the company is honoured to have been chosen as Rio Tinto’s strategic execution partner for Zulti South. He also highlights that CHEC’s relationship is founded on trust, performance and shared values.

“We are committed to delivering a project that strengthens RBM’s future contributions to local communities,” Xu emphasises.

Construction of the Zulti South project began in the first quarter of 2026, taking about 30 months to be completed with initial commercial production expected in the fourth quarter of 2028.

The first phase, according to Duvenhage, will support RBM’s supply of zircon and ilmenite, while the second will follow as part of the long-term development strategy.

“Zulti South is a good development for investment in KwaZulu-Natal. We came from a very difficult scenario where a lot of stakeholders had to work together and it has created a stable environment for investment, which has now led to sustaining thousands of direct and indirect jobs and opportunities,” he concludes.