FACTBOX-Zimbabwe parliament to debate mine law changes

HARARE Oct 6 (Reuters) - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe opens a session of parliament on Tuesday which will debate amendments to the mining law. Mugabe told a mining conference last month the government would soon pass a law to address concerns raised by an earlier draft that sought to give locals at least 51 percent of foreign-owned mining operations.

Below are some of the mining ventures operated by foreign companies.

NGEZI - Located west of Harare, the platinum mine is the country's largest and is owned by South Impala Platinum (IMPJ.J) unit Zimplats Holdings. The company has completed the majority of phase one expansion which will see output rising from 96,000 to 180,000 ounces. A new concentrator was commissioned in July after a three-month delay. In 2006 Implats signed an agreement with the government to offload 36 percent of its mining claims in return for empowerment credits.

UNKI - The mine is owned by the world's largest platinum miner Angloplat (AMSJ.J) and is expected to be commissioned in December this year. Angloplat says it will produce 120,000 tonnes of platinum ore a month, with potential to expand. In 2008, Angloplat reached an agreement with the government to release 31.3 percent of its claims in return for empowerment credits. The agreement was expected to become effective this year.

MIMOSA - The 50-50 joint venture between Implats and Aquarius Platinum Limited is the smaller of Zimbabwe's two operational platinum mines. It is located on the Greak Dyke belt, which has the second biggst platinum mine reserves in the world and is home to all the platinum projects. Mimosa produced 78,200 ounces of platinum concentrate in 2007.

BOKAI - Central African Mining & Exploration Co Plc (CAMEC) CFM.L said last month its joint venture company in Zimbabwe would open a platinum mine producing 400,000 tonnes annually within six years. CAMEC owns 60 percent in the joint venture firm, Todal Mining, and says it requires $250 million to develop the first phase of the mine.

MUROWA - Resource company Rio Tinto (RIO.L) owns 78 percent of Murowa mine, the country's largest gold mine. Murowa produced 260,000 carats last year but company head Niels Kristensen told Reuters last month that Zimbabwe could produce six times its current output if there was certainty in the mining sector.