Montwedi Mphathi General Manager of BCL Mining and Smelting
	‘Our matte is refined in Norway or sent to two refineries in Zimbabwe’

BCL: A leading African nickel producer

q Deeply rooted in Botswana’s past, BCL Limited is a company which has recently achieved success through fruitful collaborations with other companies. BCL was founded in the 1950s after an expedition found nickel and copper deposits in a remote area. A heavily funded company was thus set up with the aid of loans from a broad spectrum of financial institutions, such as the World Bank and German Bank PSW. Those same loans, combined with government projects such as the construction of the Sashe Dam, helped the mine to get off its feet.

Such co-operation has since inspired the company to grow and to demonstrate social responsibility as well as generating profit. Botswana’s government is interested in the project as it employs over 4000 people and the surrounding town, which was built for the miners, depends on its survival. It has formed strong relationships with companies such as Falconbridge in Norway and supplies services for surrounding mines in Zimbabwe including its largest competitor, Tati Nickel Mining Company. Managing Director of BCL Montwedi Mphathi says, “Falconbridge have prospects everywhere, including mines. Our matte, which is 70 per cent metal, copper and nickel, is refined in Norway, or sent to two refineries in Zimbabwe. This way we do not rely solely on one source” BCL is exploring future mining sites in the area with sophisticated techniques that were unknown previously. The company is also exploring a marketing plan which focuses on toll treatment of external feeds; a plan of diversification within their own sector which will go some way to securing their survival and to adhering to their devotion to combine their efforts with other companies, for the benefit of the whole community.

BCL’s dedication is evident in their continuing efforts to educate and support the HIV-stricken workforce and the surrounding community.