Kamativi lithium processing plant almost complete

KAMATIVI Mining Company (KMC) plans to finish construction on its lithium processing plant in June this year as it seeks to increase production capacity to about 2,3 million tonnes of ore annually, an executive has said.

Phase one of the project, which involved an investment of US$100 million, was last month commissioned by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

The lithium concentration plant has capacity of processing 300 000 tonnes of raw spodumene ore into 50 000 tonnes of spodumene concentrate per annum, translating to an estimated US$50 million in revenue per year.

“Phase two of the investment is US$149 million and the construction works are still in progress, and on course. We expect the completion of this by the end of June this year,” KMC environment social governance manager Liang Chen Chen told NewsDay Business.

“We have invested quality time and effort to ensure we complete construction of the 2MT spodumene mining and processing plant for our phase two operation. We are happy with the progress made so far towards completion.”

The total investment for phases one and two is US$249 million.

The company has employed more than 300 directly and over 1 200 indirectly. With completion of phase two, the workforce is expected to be doubled.

In addition to its operations, KMC has also engaged in corporate social responsibility initiatives aimed at improving local infrastructure and public services.

These initiatives include the development and support of educational institutions, healthcare facilities, road networks and the provision of essential utilities such as electricity and water.

Chen said KMC is implementing a free traditional Chinese treatment programme in the Kamativi community to fight against malaria and other diseases.

Kamativi Mine was historically a tin mine that stopped operations in 1994. Through the government’s efforts of partnering with private players, the brownfield project has sprung back to life as a lithium mine.

The mine is being resuscitated by the Chinese firm, Yahua Group.-newsday