malvernmugadzikwa
Business Reporter
SANDAWANA Mines — believed by experts to be potentially Zimbabwe’s largest lithium producer — has stockpiled 600 000 tonnes of ore and is planning to spend US$215 million to establish a beneficiation plant in the next 12 to 18 months.
The beneficiation facility will comprise a dense media separation (DMS) plant and a floatation plant.
Sandawana Mines, which has been traditionally known as an emeralds mine, is based in Mberengwa district, Midlands province.
It is presently being revamped as a lithium and tantalite mine by Kuvimba Mining House (KMH), which took over the asset in 2019.
The operation was first owned by Rio Tinto.
Since the acquisition, KMH has injected US$56 million.
Speaking during a media tour of the mine on Wednesday last week, Sandawana Mines general manager Mr Godwin Gambiza said open pit mining operations at the mine, although on a limited scale, began in January this year, with 600 000 tonnes of lithium ore having been stockpiled.
“We also commenced some open pit mining operations, although at a limited scale, in January this year.
“The area that we are mining just constitutes around 1 percent of the total area and to date, we are sitting on over 600 000 tonnes of high-grade lithium ore valued at over US$216 million that we have mined,” he said.
“As Kuvimba, we are committed to raw materials beneficiation and value addition, and to that end, feasibility studies for a 4,5- million-tonne-per-annum beneficiation plant are underway. We are working together with other partners that have also shown interest in cooperating with us to set up a beneficiation and value-addition plant here in Sandawana in the next 12 to 18 months.”
Mr Gambiza said a four-phased extensive exploration programme covering other mineral resources such as beryllium, tantalite and gold is already underway.
Under Phase 1 of the exploration programme, Sandawana is targeting a resource of up to 30 million tonnes of lithium ore. Three exploration companies, which are currently in a fast-tracked programme, have 33 drilling rigs on site.
Mr Gambiza added: “In our case, we will be around 200 million (tonnes of lithium) at an average grade of 1,4 percent lithium oxide, which means, again, in terms of the grade, we are leading,” he said.
“If we were to have a cut-off of our grade at around 0,5 percent, that would mean that our deposit would slightly come down to just below 200 million, but the average grade would go up to around 1,6 percent, which again positions us in terms of quality of lithium tonnage in the country.”
Following efforts made by KMH in resuscitating operations at Sandawana, the mine is now valued at US$3 billion.
“Before Kuvimba took over, the valuation was at US$5 million, but the investment that Kuvimba has done in terms of exploration work that commenced in January — the 54 000 metres that we have drilled as part of Phase 1 exploration; the 374 holes that we have drilled as part of exploration resulting in 18 million to 20 million tonnes of our ore now in measured category — has increased rapidly that value of Sandawana,” said Mr Gambiza.
Feasibility studies for the construction of a US$100 million solar power plant to generate 60MW are underway.
“The resuscitation of the Sandawana Mines will ignite a hive of economic and social activities for both young and older locals, with the resuscitation of local shopping centres and inward migration of young people across the province.”
Presently, the mine employs 1 500 people, of which 1 000 are locals.
Other capital projects on the cards include the construction and development of a primary health care centre in Mberengwa and a referral hospital for surrounding clinics.
The mine is negotiating with the Ministry of Health and Child Care to capacitate the Sandawana Mine Clinic for locals.
“In addition, Kuvimba is also engaging national health partners to co-locate specialist services at the health care centre in order to eliminate the travel burden
from sick people in the region,” said Mr Gambiza.
“The planned health interventions will also establish training facilities for local health professionals and enhance access to health care technology.”
There are other planned road projects that are expected to benefit the community.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter