Zijin Mining layout the first lithium exploration project of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (gold) lithium ore project has been officially launched.

Zijin Mining has won further development opportunities for the company because of its outstanding performance in the development of the Coluvezi copper mine and the Kamoa-Kakoula copper mine in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Recently, Katamba Mining, a joint venture between Zijin Mining and (COMINIERE), the national mining development company of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, held a shareholders' meeting and officially launched Zijin Mining's first lithium exploration project.

In order to enhance Zijin's competitiveness in new energy mines, Zijin's Congo (Kinshasa) project department increased its cooperation with national mining companies in August last year. In addition to acquiring some of the mining projects held by COMINIERE, it also signed a cooperation plan for the development of PE12453 and PE13427 mining rights on the periphery of the company's Manono lithium mine, with a 70 per cent stake in Katamba Mining and two greenfield exploration and mining rights projects on the periphery of the Manono project.

The Manono lithium deposit, controlled by Australia's AVZ Mining Company, is one of the largest open-pit lithium-rich LCT (lithium, cesium, tantalum) pegmatite deposits in the world. The lithium mineralization of the pegmatite extends more than 13 kilometers, with a thickness of 20-230m and resource reserves of 8.78 million tons of lithium oxide. The two peripheral projects to be carried out in this exploration are the extension of the Manono lithium deposit, which has a pegmatite lithium-niobium-tantalum metallogenic prospect, with a total area of about 435 km2.

The person in charge of Zijin Mining's Congo (gold) project said that Katamba Mining's PE12453 and PE13427 mining rights are located in important metallogenic belts and have good ore-forming conditions and prospecting prospects. After this shareholders' meeting, the on-site investigation will be carried out in full swing.