The ManicaPost
Samuel Kadungure
Senior Reporter
SABI Star Mine has started conducting test runs of phases of its lithium processing plant in Buhera; whose results have been satisfactory, The Manica Post can reveal.
About US$80 million has been poured into the construction of the plant, with an additional US$50 million expected in the next two months, pending official commissioning in August.
Sabi Star Mine manager, Mr Oswald Makonese, told The Manica Post on the sidelines of the project tour by Presidential Affairs and Monitoring Implementation of Government Programmes Minister, Dr Jorum MacDonald Gumbo on Wednesday that the tested phases of the plant are working well.
Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Honourable Nokuthula Matsikenyere was part of the touring delegation.
“Our project has progressed to 80 percent completion, and we have started testing some phases of the lithium processing plant. We will be producing about 3000 tonnes of lithium ore every month and getting 800 tonnes of lithium concentrate that will be exported to China.
“We are expecting full commissioning of this project in August; so we are now moving from construction to commissioning. For the past 10 months, we have been constructing this plant and it is nearing completion. We have spent over US$80 million of the US$130m budget and the remainder is coming in as we are two months away from full commissioning.
“We have started testing the crushing circuit (crushers), conveyor belts, screening section, and so far they are satisfactory. The test runs are being done in phases, starting with the crushing plant before moving to the next phase which is the milling section. After that we then move to the floatation section, and then the other various parts of the processing plant,” said Mr Makonese.
The remaining batches of the lithium plant are expected to arrive from China anytime from now.
About US$250m will be required to set up a value addition and beneficiation plant since Zimbabwe has imposed a strict ban on the export of unprocessed lithium in a bid to keep more of the value chain of the critical mineral in the country.
Lithium is a critical mineral that will underpin the world’s green energy transition and Government plans to build domestic processing capacity and take advantage of surging global prices.
Mr Makonese said availability of power infrastructure and human capital will be key to supporting this kind of set-up, adding that construction of the thermal power station was slightly behind schedule at 40 percent.
“The thermal power station is running slightly behind. It is around 40 percent in terms of completion. However, that is not a big problem for us because we have an installed generator capacity of almost 15-Megawatts that will be used to run the plant when we commission it,” he said.
Mr Makonese said the mine has 55 mining claims straddling across 3 800 hectares, with four million tonnes of lithium ore and two million tonnes of tantalite in reserves.
He said they will start tantalite mining after four years.
“Our focus at the moment is the completion of the processing plant so that we start generating revenue which will see us investing in other projects. Apart from constructing the plant, we are also carrying out detailed exploration activities on our other properties which will increase the mine’s lifespan. This investment is quite huge and we are exploring additional resources to increase the lifespan of the mine,” he said.
Minister Gumbo said Zimbabwe was among top lithium producers in the world, and if the mineral is fully exploited, it can meet 20 percent of the world’s total lithium demand.
This will herald a gargantuan economic boom.
He said Government expects exports from the mining sector to reach the US$12 billion milestone and anchor economic growth in its quest to become an upper-middle income society by 2030.
“Government also expects the lithium projects currently under development in the country, including Sabi Star Mine, to contribute significantly to the achievement of the US$12 billion milestone.
“It is the desire of Government to enhance mineral beneficiation and value addition through creation of value chains that facilitate national re-industrialisation. The sustained growth in the contribution of the mining sector to the country’s GDP hinges on full implementation of the beneficiation and value addition programme.
“The tendency among other players in the mining sector to deliberately prefer exportation of unprocessed mineral ores for purely selfish purposes should be discouraged. This has disadvantaged the nation in terms of job creation and enhanced revenue generation,” he said.
He said Government has launched the Responsible Mining Initiative Audit aimed at increasing its oversight on all mining activities in the country to curb malpractices through ensuring compliance with existing laws.
Honourable Matsikenyere said the lithium project will spur Manicaland’s economic growth, given its multiplier effects of foreign currency generation through exports, employment creation and contribution to fiscal revenues.
Aspiring ZANU PF candidate for Buhera North, Cde Mr Phillip Guyo challenged the mining company to spearhead life-changing infrastructural development in its corporate social responsibility programmes.
“It is a very good thing to employ locals and give them salaries, but the community needs tangible development. We yearn for infrastructuraldevelopment in the form of schools, rural health centres, dams and irrigation development that will improve rural livelihoods.
“We want the mining company to prioritise the tarring of the 38km road from the main road to the mine because more than 30 heavy loaded trucks use it daily, raising a lot of dust that is affecting the local communities. This is a big mine and the dust is affecting the health of the people,” said Cde Guyo.
