MOREBLESSING MARANGE AND SIFISO MAPURANGARECENTLY IN KAMATIVI
The Kamativi Mining Company, located in the Hwange district of Matabeleland North Province, has received plaudits from President Emmerson Mnangagwa for employing over 1,200 locals and aggressively pursuing value addition and beneficiation to maximize resource benefits,Business Times can report.
He said this last week during the flotation plant commissioning ceremony for Kamativi Mining Company.
With the new plant, Kamativi Mining Company—which reopened in 2019 with a re-modeled structure—will be able to turn lithium ores into concentrates.
The mine had stopped operations in 1994 due to the worldwide drop in tin prices, which rendered it unprofitable to continue operations.
This followed the energy transition necessitated by the dire impacts of climate change which has led to a surge in demand for energy minerals such as lithium.
Officially commissioning the Kamativi Mining Company’s Spodumene Mine and Phase 1 flotation plant, President Emmerson Mnangagwa, said: “I applaud Kamativi Mining Company for the employment of over 1 200 people both directly and indirectly. Knowledge transfer from foreign investors and experts to our local workforce will have spill over benefits to the mining sector as a whole.”
He added: “The official commissioning of this floating plant is a step in the right direction, by moving this mine from merely a resource extraction site and laying the foundation for a sustainable future.
“I am informed that the lithium concentrate plant is capable of processing 300 000 tonnes of raw spodumene ore into 50 000 tonnes of spodumene concentrate per annum, translating to an estimated US$50m in revenue per year.
“I gather that the company has almost completed the US$149m Phase 2 floatation plant, with a capacity to process 2m tonnes of raw ore to yield 300 000 tonnes of lithium concentrate per annum.
Both the projected production levels and revenue outlay are impressive and are set to have a positive impact on the mining industry and economy as a whole.”
President Mnangagwa said months of dedication, ingenuity and hard work have paid off.
“This project will undoubtedly unlock added economic benefits, particularly with regards to the growth of the GDP of Matabeleland North Province.
“The scaling up of the socio-economic development of the already promising Hwange district will also be enhanced.
At the national level, the commissioning of this plant adds on to our country’s growing lithium and processing portfolio.”
Zimbabwe now ranks alongside leading lithium producing and supply countries such as Chile, Australia, China, Argentina and Brazil.
Kamativi Mining Company is a joint venture company operated and controlled by Sichuan PD Technology Group, a subsidiary of a Chinese listed entity, Yahua Group. The local partner is Defold Mine (Pvt) Limited
Speaking at the same event, the chairman of the Yahua Group, Meng Yang said that the revival of Kamativi resulted in job opportunities, and the firm will continue to collaborate with Zimbabwe to strengthen the country’s mining sector.
“Underpinned by Zimbabwe’s abundant lithium mineral resources, coupled with Yahua Group’s notable legacy hard-rock lithium mining, we are full of expectations and confidence to further increase our investment towards the development of Zimbabwe’s mining sector”
Traditional leader, Chief Dingani-Nelukoba told the media that reopening of the mine has changed the community’s fortune. He said the creation of employment opportunities has drastically reduced drug and substance abuse cases among other social ills.
“We are happy with the reopening of the Kamativi mine. It has created jobs for our children. Youths had resorted to abusing drugs because they had nothing to do,” he said.
Ends//////
—
| ReplyForward |
Kamativi
