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LEADING platinum producer Zimplats is still pursuing the reimbursement of US$34,13 million from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, but the latter insists it is Government, through the Ministry of Finance, that should pay up.The funds were placed with the central bank by Zimplats and were to be drawn in Zimbabwe dollars by the mining company to fund its local costs.RBZ on Tuesday said discussions pertaining to repayment were in progress.The funds were used to finance grain, seed and fertilizer imports in 2008."Discussions are in progress between us and Treasury, and we are confident that a solution will be found soon," read part of the RBZ response.

Meanwhile, Zimplats has started repaying the US$75 million loan it secured from Standard Bank of South Africa with an Impala Platinum Holdings Limited guarantee to fund the Phase 1 Expansion project.The platinum company said repayment commenced in the third quarter with an instalment of US$6,5 million.Repayment of the second loan amounting to R442 million that was also secured from Standard Bank of South Africa ZAR will commence in December 2010.Under the phase one project, Zimplats reports that the development of the Portal 4 underground mine remains on schedule to reach full production by May 2011."Whilst Portal 4 production is ramping up, previously stockpiled ore will be processed through the new concentrator, with sufficient stockpile in place to bridge the shortfall until the mine reaches full production.

"Evaluation work of the second phase of the expansion programme is proceeding well and will be completed in February 2010," the company said.Zimplats commissioned the new Ngezi concentrator in late July 2009 and this led to an increase in the ore milled by 27 percent from the previous quarter.