Shabani mine, Zimbabwe

The Shabani mine, often printed "Shabanie," was the chrysotile mine of the Rhodesian and General Asbestos Corporation at Shabani in Southern Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, and for decades the sources call it the country's largest asbestos producer.^10,11,12 A. G. Pryce-Williams, writing in Asbestos, the industry's trade journal, in 1923, said that around 1915 "the Shabanie fields sprung into prominence," and that among the first claims to produce was "the Shabanie Mine, acquired by the Rhodesian and General Asbestos Corporation, Ltd."¹ A 1942 article in the journal says that company's "original claims" were "staked in September 1915."⁴ W. E. Sinclair wrote in 1960 that "the first output from the Shabani Mine in 1916 was reported as 94 tons valued at £1503."⁵

The early quarry

In 1920 the journal placed "the Shebania mine (operated by Rhodesian & General Asbestos Corp., Ltd.,)" at the northwest end of a productive area "about 2½ miles long," with the Nil Desperandum at the south end and the Birthday claims between them.² An American visitor, in an unsigned 1923 article for which the journal took no responsibility, called the Shebanie Mine "the first big operation begun in this field," and described "the pit or quarry" as "about 1000 feet long by about 350 feet wide."¹ He wrote that development work had "proven the property for a continuous distance of over 4000 feet," that block 170 had "over 600,000 tons of ore developed and proved," and that "the second level awaits the completion of a 7000 foot drainage canal to the river."¹ He said that "about 40% of its output is No. 1 and No. 2 Crude of excellent quality," and that "all drilling and other work in the mine is done by hand as native labor (which costs about $5.00 a month) is much cheaper than power."¹

Expansion and output

In January 1927 the journal reported that the mine "has embarked on a big program of expansion," with "a new power station comprising 4 units of 325 b. h. p. producer gas engines" and "a new milling plant" to handle "about 60,000 tons of rock per month."⁶ It said a railway "has been authorized and surveyed and should reach the property in about a year's time."⁶ In 1928, quoting the Rhodesia Herald, the journal said the company was "laying down additional power units in order to cope with the increased demand for asbestos," and that there were "some 170 white men employed at Shabanie" and 3,600 African workers, a number that "will be considerably increased when the new plant is installed."⁷ The journal's production tables give Shabani 2,159.30 tons (2000 lbs.) for September 1929 and 1,381.73 tons for October 1934, and a Rhodesia Chamber of Mines table gives Shabanie 3,407.86 tons for June 1945.^13,14,15 In December 1934 the Rhodesian Mining Journal, as the trade journal quoted it, reported that "the erection of the additional plant, required to increase the output of asbestos from the Shabani and Birthday properties, has been completed."¹⁶

The trade journal wrote in 1937 that "the Shabanie mine produces high grade fibre and contributes 75 per cent of the total production of the country."¹⁷ The U.S. Bureau of Mines' Minerals Yearbook for 1937 said that it "continues to be the largest producer"; the yearbook for 1941 called it "the largest asbestos mine in Rhodesia," and the one for 1942 said it was "probably producing at near maximum capacity."^10,11,18 The yearbooks for 1949 and 1950 list the Nil Desperandum, Birthday, 170 and 177 among the Shabani-district workings of Rhodesian & General.^19,20

Turner & Newall

In 1948 Asbestos reported that "the Turner & Newall Limited organization operates" the Shabanie mine, and that its fiber would be sold under the mark "C&G (Shabanie)" by Turner & Newall's Raw Asbestos Department in Rochdale, England.²¹ The yearbook described Rhodesian and General as "a subsidiary of Turner & Newall, Ltd., of Manchester, England," and said in 1951 and 1952 that the principal production came "from the Shabani mines" and other districts controlled by Turner & Newall.^20,22,23 Taking June 1956 as "an average month," the journal credited "Rhodesian & General Asbestos Corp. (Shabani)" with 7069 tons of the country's 9734 tons.²⁴ Sinclair wrote that Shabanie was one of the larger mines where "underground methods were ultimately employed."⁵ The yearbook for 1965 said Turner & Newall "controls the largest Rhodesian producer, the Shabanie Mine," which "employs 3,800 people," and in 1966 the mine contracted for "the sinking (deepening), lining and equipping of a 23-foot diameter circular shaft."^12,25

In 1975 and 1976 the journal reported that Rhodesian and General still operated "the Shabanie, Gaths, Temeraire and King Mines," and that, although it was "a wholly-owned subsidiary of Turner & Newall," the parent company "has been cut off from the Rhodesian operation since shortly after the UDI."^26,27

The new mill

By 1980 the company had a new name: the journal called it "Shabanie & Mashaba Mines (Pvt) Ltd. (formerly Rhodesian & General Asbestos Corporation)," while the yearbook named the operator as African Associated Mines, "a subsidiary of Turner & Newell of the United Kingdom," with "90% of the production" of the country.^28,29 Both report a new mill at Shabanie opened in July 1980; the journal said the "Z$100-million mill" would "increase the milling rate by one-third to 200,000 tonnes per month."^28,29 For 1982 the yearbook, drawing on the Mining Journal, reported "a considerable transportation cost saving" after "a ropeway designed to carry 125 tons per hour of ore the 2.5 kilometers between mine and mill was commissioned in July."³⁰

Closing

The U.S. Geological Survey reported that in 1998 African Associated Mines "planned to reduce its workforce at the Mashaba and Shabanie mines by more than 800 workers."³¹ Its yearbook for 2011 says "the mines were closed in 2008 for financial reasons."⁹ For 2009 it reported that workers at "the Shabanie Mashaba Mine, a chrysotile mine that is administered by the government, went on strike on August 31, 2009, because of salary issues," that the company had its electricity disconnected for unpaid bills, and that "the loss of electrical power resulted in the flooding of the mine."⁸ In 2011 the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation "announced that it planned to reopen the Mashava and Shabanie chrysotile mines," in stages.⁹ The yearbook for 2018 says the Government had announced "a $100 million loan to reopen the Mashava and Shabanie Mines," but that official statistics "indicated that no asbestos was mined in the country during 2018."³²

The documents report this mine producing asbestos fiber for sale.²⁴

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Location

Output the documents report

Figures as printed, in the units each document uses (short tons before about 1990, metric tons after, in most U.S. chapters). Some are a year's output, some a daily rate or a capacity, some a company's total rather than this mine's alone; the statement for that year below says which.

Year	Figure	Source
1916	94 tons	5
1929	2,159.3 tons (2000 lbs.)	13
1934	1,381.7 tons (2000 lbs.)	14
1945	3,407.9 tons (2000 lbs.)	15
1955	4,000 short tons per month (average)	33
1956	7,069 tons (one month)	24

Year by year

Every statement about this mine in the documents, in each document's own words, by the year it is about.

1915

• Ownership: “the Shabanie Mine, acquired by the Rhodesian and General Asbestos Corporation, Ltd.” (Rhodesian and General Asbestos Corporation, Ltd.), said by A. G. Pryce-Williams, B. Sc., as reported by Asbestos (magazine), p. 14¹
• Opened: “Original claims of the Rhodesian and General Asbestos Corporation staked in September 1915; real interest in the Shabani deposit aroused 1915-16” (Rhodesian and General Asbestos Corporation, Ltd.), p. 6⁴

1916

• Output: “The first output from the Shabani Mine in 1916 was reported as 94 tons valued at £1503”, said by W. E. Sinclair, as reported by Asbestos (magazine), p. 6⁵

1920

• Worked: “the Shebania mine (operated by Rhodesian & General Asbestos Corp., Ltd.,)” (Rhodesian & General Asbestos Corp., Ltd.), p. 46²

1923

• Exploration: “proven the property for a continuous distance of over 4000 feet”, p. 20¹
• Output: “About 40% of its output is No. 1 and No. 2 Crude”, p. 22¹
• Worked: “the Shebanie Mine (Rhodesian & General) on the northwest” (Rhodesian & General), p. 20¹
• Description: “The pit or quarry is about 1000 feet long by about 350 feet wide”, p. 22¹
• Exploration: “The second level awaits the completion of a 7000 foot drainage canal”, p. 22¹
• Workforce: “All drilling and other work in the mine is done by hand as native labor”, p. 22¹
• Reserves: “on block 170 over 600,000 tons of ore developed and proved ... three million tons proved”, p. 20¹
• Opened: “the first big operation begun in this field”, p. 20¹

1927

• Description: “A new power station comprising 4 units of 325 b. h. p. producer gas engines” (Rhodesian & General Asbestos Corporation), p. 48⁶
• Mill: “A new milling plant ... about 60,000 tons of rock per month” (Rhodesian & General Asbestos Corporation), p. 48⁶

1928

• Description: “A railway has been authorized and surveyed and should reach the property” (Rhodesian & General Asbestos Corporation), p. 48⁶
• Description: “laying down additional power units” (Rhodesian & General Asbestos Company), as reported by Rhodesia Herald (as reported), p. 48⁷
• Workforce: “some 170 white men employed at Shabanie and 3,600 natives” (Rhodesian & General Asbestos Company), as reported by Rhodesia Herald (as reported), p. 48⁷

1929

• Output: “2,159.30 tons (2000 lbs.) in September 1929” (Rho. & Gen. Asb. Corp. Ltd.), p. 45¹³

1931

• Worked: “Rhodesian white asbestos, product of the "SHABANIE" mine”, said by Raw Asbestos Distributors Ltd., p. 35³

1934

• Mill: “Erection of additional plant to increase output from the Shabani and Birthday properties completed”, as reported by Rhodesian Mining Journal, p. 35¹⁶
• Output: “Shabani (Rho. & Gen. Asb. Corp.): 1,381.73 tons (2000 lbs.), October 1934” (Rho. & Gen. Asb. Corp.), p. 32¹⁴

1936

• Description: “Installing a large water-filtration plant at the company's water pumping station on the Lundi River” (Rhodesian & General Asbestos Corp., Ltd.), as reported by Rhodesian Mining Journal, p. 40³⁴

1937

• Output: “Shabanie mine produces high grade fibre and 75 per cent of the total production of Southern Rhodesia”, p. 10¹⁷
• Output: “The Shabanie mine continues to be the largest producer”, p. 7¹⁰

1941

• Output: “The largest asbestos mine in Rhodesia is the Shabani, which has been a prolific producer for many years”, p. 10¹¹

1942

• Worked: “SHABANI MINE - SHABANIE”, said by Raw Asbestos Distributors Ltd., p. 24³⁵
• Reserves: “Numerous lodes capable of being worked; Lode 170, the most important, over 2,000 feet along strike”, p. 6⁴
• Output: “The Shabani mine has been an important producer for many years and is probably producing at near maximum capacity”, p. 9¹⁸

1945

• Output: “Shabanie (Rho. & Gen. Asb. Corp., Ltd.) 3,407.86 [tons, June 1945]” (Rho. & Gen. Asb. Corp., Ltd.), as reported by Asbestos (magazine), p. 44¹⁵

1948

• Worked: “The Turner & Newall Limited organization operates” (Turner & Newall Limited), p. 42²¹
• Description: “fibre distributed under the mark C&G (Shabanie)” (Turner & Newall Limited), p. 42²¹

1949

• Worked: “the Nil Desperandum, Sphinx, Birthday, 170, and 177 lodes in the Shabani district” (Rhodesian & General Asbestos Corp.), p. 9¹⁹

1950

• Ownership: “Nearly all of the production is in the hands of the Rhodesian and General Asbestos Corp., a subsidiary of Turner & Newall, Ltd.” (Rhodesian and General Asbestos Corp.), p. 9²⁰
• Worked: “four mines in the Shabani area—the Nil Desperandum, Birthday, 170, and 177” (Rhodesian and General Asbestos Corp.), p. 9²⁰

1951

• Worked: “Principal production is from the Shabani mines ... controlled by Turner & Newall, Ltd.” (Turner & Newall, Ltd.), p. 9²²

1952

• Worked: “Principal production was from the Shabani mines ... controlled by Turner & Newall, Ltd.” (Turner & Newall, Ltd.), p. 10²³

1955

• Output: “African Asbestos | Shabani Birthday | 4,000” (African Asbestos), p. 10³³

1956

• Mill: “One process in use at Shabani ... was said to have so improved the quality of the fiber and reduced the cost of operation”, p. 8³⁶
• Output: “Rhodesian & General Asbestos Corp. (Shabani) 7069 tons” (Rhodesian & General Asbestos Corp.), p. 6²⁴

1958

• Worked: “the balance from the Shabanie and Nil Desperandum Mines in the Shabani field” (Rhodesian General Asbestos Corporation Limited (Turner Newall Limited)), said by W. E. Sinclair, as reported by Asbestos (magazine), p. 10⁵

1960

• Description: “it was only in the case of the larger mines, as for example Shabanie, that underground methods were ultimately employed”, said by W. E. Sinclair, as reported by Asbestos (magazine), p. 10⁵

1961

• Reserves: “Only rock containing more than one per cent of fibre is considered payable, the working sections at Shabani usually containing from three per cent upwards of recoverable fibre”, p. 30³⁷
• Description: “The workable zones are large, that at the 170 section, Shabani mine, having a strike length of some 2,000 feet and a width of 200-300 feet”, p. 30³⁷
• Worked: “Crude asbestos exports, mostly from Turner and Newall, Ltd., mines at Shabani” (Turner and Newall, Ltd.), p. 10³⁸
• Output: “Turner and Newall, Ltd., mines produced 67 percent of the tonnage” (Turner and Newall, Ltd.), p. 11³⁸

1965

• Ownership: “Turner & Newall Ltd., which controls the largest Rhodesian producer, the Shabanie Mine” (Turner & Newall Ltd.), p. 8¹²
• Workforce: “This mine employs 3,800 people” (Turner & Newall Ltd.), p. 8¹²

1966

• Exploration: “has contracted for the sinking (deepening), lining and equipping of a 23-foot diameter circular shaft”, p. 7²⁵

1972

• Worked: “R&G mines include the Shabani, King, Gaths and Temeraire operations” (Rhodesian and General Asbestos Corporation), p. 30³⁹

1975

• Worked: “operates the Shabanie, Gaths, Temeraire and King Mines in the Shabanie region” (Rhodesian and General Asbestos Corporation), p. 42²⁶
• Ownership: “RGA is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Turner & Newall although T&N has been cut off from the mining concern since shortly after the UDI” (Turner & Newall Ltd.), p. 44²⁶

1976

• Worked: “operates the Shabanie, Gaths, Temeraire and King Mines in the Shabanie region” (Rhodesian and General Asbestos Corporation), p. 40²⁷

1977

• Worked: “operates the Shabani Mine at Shabani Township, Gwelo” (Rhodesian & General Asbestos Corporation (Pvt) Ltd.), p. 36⁴⁰

1978

• Worked: “operates the Shabani Mine at Shabani Township, Gwelo, plus the nearby Gaths, Temeraire and King Mines” (Rhodesian & General Asbestos Corporation (Pvt) Ltd.), p. 48⁴¹

1979

• Worked: “continues to operate the Shabani Mine in Gwelo and the nearby Gath, Temeraine and King Mines” (Rhodesian & General Asbestos Corporation (Pvt) Ltd.), p. 42⁴²

1980

• Ownership: “Shabanie & Mashaba Mines (Pvt) Ltd. (formerly Rhodesian & General Asbestos Corporation), operator of three asbestos mines” (Shabanie & Mashaba Mines (Pvt) Ltd.), p. 33²⁸
• Worked: “AAM operates a mine ... at Shabanie” (African Associated Mines (Pvt.) Ltd. (AAM)), p. 8²⁹
• Ownership: “African Associated Mines (Pvt.) Ltd. (AAM), a subsidiary of Turner & Newell of the United Kingdom” (African Associated Mines (Pvt.) Ltd. (AAM)), p. 9²⁹
• Mill: “brand new mill (July 1980) at Shabanie” (African Associated Mines (Pvt.) Ltd. (AAM)), p. 9²⁹
• Mill: “A Z$100-million mill at Shabanie, opened in July 1980, will increase the milling rate by one-third to 200,000 tonnes per month” (African Associates Mines), p. 33²⁸

1982

• Worked: “African Associated Mines, the only asbestos producer in the country” (African Associated Mines), p. 8³⁰
• Description: “A considerable transportation cost saving was reported for the Shabaine Mines and mill”, as reported by Mining Journal, p. 8³⁰
• Mill: “A ropeway designed to carry 125 tons per hour of ore the 2.5 kilometers between mine and mill was commissioned in July”, as reported by Mining Journal, p. 8³⁰

1998

• Workforce: “reduce its workforce at the Mashaba and Shabanie mines by more than 800 workers” (African Associated Mines), as reported by Mining Journal, p. 2³¹

2008

• Idle: “The mines were closed in 2008 for financial reasons”, as reported by The Zimbabwean, 2011, p. 3⁹

2009

• Description: “The loss of electrical power resulted in the flooding of the mine”, as reported by Southern Africa Resource Watch (Mpofu, 2010); New Zimbabwe.com (Whiz, 2010), p. 3⁸
• Description: “had its electricity disconnected for failure to pay its electric bills”, as reported by Southern Africa Resource Watch (Mpofu, 2010); New Zimbabwe.com (Whiz, 2010), p. 3⁸
• Ownership: “administered by the government” (Government of Zimbabwe), as reported by Southern Africa Resource Watch (Mpofu, 2010); New Zimbabwe.com (Whiz, 2010), p. 3⁸
• Fiber: “a chrysotile mine”, as reported by Southern Africa Resource Watch (Mpofu, 2010); New Zimbabwe.com (Whiz, 2010), p. 3⁸
• Idle: “went on strike on August 31, 2009, because of salary issues”, as reported by Southern Africa Resource Watch (Mpofu, 2010); New Zimbabwe.com (Whiz, 2010), p. 3⁸

2011

• Description: “ZMDC planned on reactivating the mine in stages” (Zimbabwe Mining Development Corp. (ZMDC)), as reported by The Zimbabwean, 2011, p. 3⁹
• Fiber: “Mashava and Shabanie chrysotile mines”, as reported by The Zimbabwean, 2011, p. 3⁹
• Description: “planned to reopen the Mashava and Shabanie chrysotile mines” (Zimbabwe Mining Development Corp. (ZMDC)), as reported by The Zimbabwean, 2011, p. 3⁹

2017

• Description: “secured a $100 million loan to reopen the Mashava and Shabanie Mines in southern Zimbabwe by yearend 2017” (Government of Zimbabwe), as reported by African Independent (Bara, 2017), p. 4³²

2018

• Idle: “no asbestos was mined in the country during 2018”, as reported by Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency, 2019, p. 4³²

In medical studies

Medical studies in our research library that name this mine, by how they concern it. A search found every one that names the mine and an AI reader sorted them; the quotation, checked word for word against the text, shows where. Those that name the mine only in passing or in a reference list are left out.

Studies of the mine’s workers (1)

• Cullen MR 1991: Chrysotile asbestos and health in Zimbabwe: II. Health status survey of active miners and millers: “Given the practical limit of about 300 subjects from among the total of 6,647 (4,231 at Shabanie, 2,416 at Gaths), sampling proportions within strata were determined”

Studies of the mine’s fiber (1)

• Qi F 2013: Continuous exposure to chrysotile asbestos can cause transformation of human mesothelial cells via HMGB1 and TNF-α signaling: “Reference chrysotile A, histori- cally called Rhodesian, consisted of asbestos fibers mined in Zvishavane (also spelled Shabani or Shavani), Matabeleland South Province, Zimbabwe.”

Other names

Documents call this mine “Shabani”, “Shabanie mine”, “Nil Desperandum lode”, “Sphinx lode”, “Birthday lode”, “170 lode”, “177 lode”, “Shabanie Mine”, “Shabanie”, “Shabaine Mines”, “Shabanie Mashaba Mine”, “Shebanie Mine”, “Shebania mine”, “Shabani Mine”, “Shabanie Asbestos Mine”, “Shabani Birthday”.

See also

• Shabani Mine in the Lexicon
• Turner & Newall, Ltd.: the company's history, documents, people, products and plants
• Turner & Newell: the company's documents, people, products and plants
• All asbestos mines

References

1. Asbestos Magazine, 1923, March 1923 (March 1, 1923), pp. 14, 20, 22.
2. Asbestos Magazine, 1920, December 1920 (December 1, 1920), p. 46.
3. Asbestos Magazine, 1931, January 1931 (January 1, 1931), p. 35.
4. Asbestos Magazine, 1942, July 1942 (July 1, 1942), p. 6.
5. Asbestos Magazine, 1960, April 1960 (April 1, 1960), pp. 6, 10.
6. Asbestos Magazine, 1927, January 1927 (January 1, 1927), p. 48.
7. Asbestos Magazine, 1928, August 1928 (August 1, 1928), p. 48.
8. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 2009 (January 1, 2010), p. 3.
9. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 2011 (January 1, 2012), p. 3.
10. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1938 (January 1, 1939), p. 7.
11. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1941 (January 1, 1942), p. 10.
12. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1965 (January 1, 1966), p. 8.
13. Asbestos Magazine, 1930, January 1930 (January 1, 1930), p. 45.
14. Asbestos Magazine, 1935, January 1935 (January 1, 1935), p. 32.
15. Asbestos Magazine, 1945, October 1945 (October 1, 1945), p. 44.
16. Asbestos Magazine, 1934, December 1934 (December 1, 1934), p. 35.
17. Asbestos Magazine, 1937, July 1937 (July 1, 1937), p. 10.
18. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1942 (January 1, 1943), p. 9.
19. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1949 (January 1, 1950), p. 9.
20. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1950 (January 1, 1951), p. 9.
21. Asbestos Magazine, 1948, April 1948 (April 1, 1948), p. 42.
22. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1951 (January 1, 1952), p. 9.
23. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1952 (January 1, 1953), p. 10.
24. Asbestos Magazine, 1957, April 1957 (April 1, 1957), p. 6.
25. Asbestos Magazine, 1966, December 1966 (December 1, 1966), p. 7.
26. Asbestos Magazine, 1975, December 1975 (December 1, 1975), pp. 42, 44.
27. Asbestos Magazine, 1976, December 1976 (December 1, 1976), p. 40.
28. Asbestos Magazine, 1981, January 1981 (January 1, 1981), p. 33.
29. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1980 (January 1, 1981), pp. 8–9.
30. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1982 (January 1, 1983), p. 8.
31. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1998 (January 1, 1999), p. 2.
32. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 2018 (January 1, 2019), p. 4.
33. Asbestos Magazine, 1956, June 1956 (June 1, 1956), p. 10.
34. Asbestos Magazine, 1936, June 1936 (June 1, 1936), p. 40.
35. Asbestos Magazine, 1942, January 1942 (January 1, 1942), p. 24.
36. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1956 (January 1, 1957), p. 8.
37. Asbestos Magazine, 1961, November 1961 (November 1, 1961), p. 30.
38. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1962 (January 1, 1963), pp. 10–11.
39. Asbestos Magazine, 1972, March 1972 (March 1, 1972), p. 30.
40. Asbestos Magazine, 1977, December 1977 (December 1, 1977), p. 36.
41. Asbestos Magazine, 1978, December 1978 (December 1, 1978), p. 48.
42. Asbestos Magazine, 1979, December 1979 (December 1, 1979), p. 42.