Kamativi Mining Company (KMC) defers completion of phase 2 plant to September 2024

KAMATIVI Mining Company (KMC) which mines lithium outside Hwange has deferred completion of its phase 2 plant to September when the processor is expected to be commissioned.

After successfully commissioning Phase 1 in April this year, KMC had set targets to have the second plant within two months and anticipated it would be commissioned this month.

In a statement, the company said unforeseen reasons led to the delay in assembling the plant.

The company said construction of the Phase Two processing plant is making headway, with completion now scheduled for September 2024.

“KMC had initially projected to complete Phase Two construction by June 2024, with a trial run set for July 2024. 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. We have therefore deferred Phase Two commissioning to September 2024.

“Following construction, the commissioning phase commences. This phase involves rigorous testing and verification of the processing plant’s systems, machinery and processes to ensure they function as intended. It’s the final checkpoint before we operationalize our Phase Two spodumene plant.

Thereafter, we anticipate Phase Two project to deliver its first output during the last quarter of 2024,” said the company.

The designed ore processing capacity for Phase Two is set to process two million tonnes of ore into 300 000 tonnes of spodumene concentrate per annum.

Last year, KMC completed construction of Phase One of the processing plant before official commissioning by President Mnangagwa on Friday 12 April 2024.

Phase One has a production capacity of handling 300,000 tonnes of ore, producing 50,000 tonnes of spodumene concentrate per annum.

When both processing plants are complete, KMC will produce 2.3 million tonnes of ore, making 350,000 tonnes of spodumene concentrate per annum for export.

The mine said as an investor, KMC is playing its part to contribute to Vision 2030 through lithium related value chains.

“ We have headed the call by the Government of Zimbabwe to promote beneficiation, and we are delighted to share that we submitted our

beneficiation plan to the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development,” said the company which has invested over US$2 million into community development projects in Kamativi since reopening the mine.

Matabeleland North has welcomed the new mine as milestone development that has started contributing positively not only to growth of the province’s Gross Domestic Product and business portfolio, but also to the general livelihoods of locals through job creation and improved social amenities.

Several projects are underway as KMC has committed to bringing Kamativi back to its former glory through reliable clean water and electricity provision, upgraded road network and decent houses.

Work is underway for construction of an 88kv powerline to connect Kamativi to main lines from Hwange.

KMC started operations in 2019 and it is focused on lithium exploration, mining and processing within Kamativi, a former tin mine which closed in 1994 when international prices of tin plummeted to unsustainable levels.

At the time the tin mine employed 3 000 workers and still had a life span of 40 years.

The new lithium mine has a lifespan of 15 years and had by April already created direct employment for 260 people while about 1 000 were employed indirectly through downstream contracts impact in the first phase.

For three decades Kamativi turned into a ghost town with some residents resorting to criminal activities that led to vandalism of infrastructure while some succumbed to human-wildlife conflict as they were attacked by crocodiles on DRC Dam while fishing to make ends meet.

The Second Republic under President Mnangagwa is resuscitating the mine through its engagement and re-engagement drive.

KMC has reopened the mine and expects to invest a total of US$249 million, this time exploring for lithium and not tin. Over US$100 million has already been deployed into the project. KMC is a Joint Venture operated and controlled by a Sichuan PD Technology Group, a subsidiary of a Chinese Listed entity, Yahua Group.

The local Joint Venture Partner is Kamativi Tin Mines Limited, wholly owned and controlled by Mutapa Investment Fund through Defold Mine (Private) Limited.

Yahua Group is ranked 5th in the world for being a top lithium hydro-peroxide and explosives supplier and has over 6 000 employees in 70 subsidiaries distributed throughout Australia, China, Ethiopia, Namibia, New Zealand, and Zimbabwe.

Lithium is one of the seven mineral deposits that have been confirmed to be in Kamativi and Government has brought in the investor as the country drives towards an upper middle income economy by 2030.

The mineral is set to become Zimbabwe’s third biggest mineral export after gold and platinum group metals and has already attracted huge investor interest with key projects at Zulu Lithium in Insiza District, Sandawana Mine in Mberengwa, Bikita Mine, Mutoko, Chiredzi, Goromonzi and Buhera in Manicaland.-chronicle