Progress on Zimbabwe’s Kamativi lithium project revealed by Chinese investor and local media

According to the investor relations activity record released by Sichuan Yahua Group on January 17, the Kamativi lithium mine in Zimbabwe is currently undergoing construction for its mining and processing project.

The project is being developed in two phases. The first phase involves open-pit mining and the renovation of the existing ore processing plant, with an annual processing capacity of 300,000 tonnes of lithium ore. The second phase is expected to be operational within 2024, processing approximately 2 million tonnes annually.

Once both phases are fully operational, the project is expected to produce 350,000 tonnes of lithium concentrate, securing part of the company’s lithium feedstock supply, and “significantly alleviating the pressure” brought by production costs.

Media in Zimbabwe also confirm the progress, and reveal that the whole project is estimated to cost over US$100 million including infrastructural developments like roads, water supply, and a solar farm.

Local media further express positive anticipation regarding local economic developments. The Kamativi mine previously had been a major tin producer until its closure in 1994. The reopening is described as a significant shift and revival in the country’s mining industry. President Mnangagwa is expected to officially commission the lithium project.