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KAMATIVI Mining Company (KMC) has deferred the commissioning of the second phase of its lithium processing plant, which was initially scheduled for last month to September. The 300 000 tonnes per annum spodumene concentrate facility is expected to undergo a trial run this month.
KMC said the delay was caused by several challenges, including unexpected changes in maritime logistics, which has interrupted the installation process. The company expects the phase two project to deliver its first output during the last quarter of this year. Last year, KMC completed the construction of phase one of the processing plant, which President Mnangagwa commissioned on December 23, 2023.
Phase one capacity is 300 000 tonnes of ore producing 50 000 tonnes of spodumene concentrate per year.”While we had not anticipated delays in the final stages of phase two construction, we encountered an unforeseen change in maritime transport, leading to a slight delay in the installation process.
We have therefore deferred phase two commissioning to September 2024,” said Kamativi Mining Company in a statement. The second phase’s capacity is two million tonnes of ore producing 300 000 tonnes of spodumene concentrate per year. “When both phases of our processing plant are complete, we will have a combined annual production of 2,3 million tonnes of ore producing 350 000 tonnes of spodumene concentrate,” KMC said.
KMC is a joint venture (JV) between Kamativi Tin Mine and Sichuan PD Technology Group, a subsidiary of a Chinese-listed entity, Yahua Group.
Kamativi Tin Mines Limited is wholly owned and controlled by Zimbabwe’s sovereign wealth fund, Mutapa Investment Fund through Defold Mine (Private) Limited.
Yahua Group is ranked fifth in the world among top lithium hydroperoxide suppliers and explosives. The group has over 6 000 employees working for its 70 subsidiaries distributed throughout Australia, China, Ethiopia, Namibia, New Zealand and Zimbabwe.
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