Kamativi delays completion of processing plant

MINER, Kamativi Mining Company, has pushed back the completion of phase two of its processing plant to September amid unforeseen changes in maritime transport related to installing the project.

Construction of the second phase of the mine’s processing plant was supposed to have been completed last month, with trial runs expected this month.

The company completed phase one of the construction of the processing plant in April.

“Construction of the Kamativi Mining Company’s phase two processing plant is making headway, with completion now scheduled for September 2024,” the company said in a statement.

While we had not anticipated delays in the final stages of phase two construction, we encountered an unforeseen change in maritime transport, leading to a ‘slight delay’ in the installation process of the project.”

The miner said the second phase involves rigorous testing and verification of the processing plant’s systems, machinery and processes to ensure they function as intended. It is the final checkpoint before we operationalise our phase two spodumene plant, it said.

According to the company, the completion of phase two will have a production of 2,3 million tonnes of ore producing 350 000 tonnes of spodumene concentrate for exports.

Phase two is anticipated to deliver its first output during the last quarter of 2024 and is set to process two million tonnes of ore into 300 000 tonnes of spodumene concentrate per annum.

Spodumene is a pyroxene mineral consisting of lithium aluminium inosilicate and is a commercially important source of lithium.

“When both phases of our processing plant are complete, we will have a combined annual production of 2,3 million tonnes of ore producing 350 000 tonnes of spodumene concentrate and that concentrate will be exported,” the company said.

Kamativi is a joint venture operated and controlled by Sichuan PD Technology Group, a subsidiary of a Chinese Listed entity, Yahua Group.

The local joint venture partner is Kamativi Tin Mines Limited, a wholly-owned and controlled by Mutapa Investment Fund through Defold Mine (Private) Limited.

Yahua Group is the world’s fifth largest lithium hydro-peroxide and explosives supplier.

The group has over 6 000 employees in 70 subsidiaries distributed throughout Australia, China, Ethiopia, Namibia, New Zealand and Zimbabwe.-newsday