Anglo Platinum, the world's largest platinum company, has revealed that it has invested a total of over $21 million in the Unki platinum project in Zimbabwe since it began.

The group's head of strategies and business planning, Mr Francis Peterson, said that various works were still ongoing at the site.

Some had feared that the proposed new mining bill, which would see the government take a 51 per cent stake in all foreign-owned mines, may scupper any further development and investment in the project.

"Much has been achieved in the development of the project," Mr Peterson said, according to the local Herald newspaper.

The main access road to the new mine and the bridge across the Umtebekwa River have already been completed, he said.

The Lucilia Poort Dam, the main water source for the new mine, and a temporary power supply station have also been installed.

Around 60,000 tonnes of platinum would be produced a year at the mine before full-scale production scheduled for 2008.

Platinum mining is important to a country that is already starved of foreign currency, as government action has scared off investors in the past.

Ÿ Adfero Ltd