Metallon had put Shamva under care and maintenance in early 2019 because of mounting debts. Zimbabwe, grappling with its worst economic crisis in more than a decade, is pursuing an ambitious plan to raise mining output and earn the country $12bn a year. Platinum and gold mining are seen as an anchor of that drive. Rising metals prices could help attract investors into mineral extraction to generate much-needed foreign currency. Gold gained about 25 per cent in 2020 as global central banks and governments delivered economic stimulus, laying the ground for higher inflation and currency debasement. The price of platinum also rose more than 10 per cent.