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Victor Maphosa
Mashonaland East Bureau
THE US$40 million lithium processing plant being constructed in Goromonzi, Mashonaland East, by Shengxiang Investments (Pvt) Limited of China is now more than 80 percent complete, as Zimbabwe continues to enjoy the benefits of the “Zimbabwe is open for business” policy.
President Mnangagwa pronounced the policy “Zimbabwe is open for business” in 2017 and the global business community has embraced it, resulting in numerous new investments cutting across all sectors of the economy.
The move has given birth to job creation across the country.
Shengxiang is one of the biggest companies specialising in battery recycling.
Construction of the Goromonzi processing plant started in January this year and is expected to be completed this month.
Yesterday, the company senior management had a tour with the media to have an appreciation of construction progress to date.
Speaking after the tour, Shengxiang general manager Mr Shuping Liu said on completion, more local people will be employed.
“Production will start this month end or early next month. As you can see, we have already installed a lot of equipment here. Electricity is also connected so everything is being done timeously.
“We are looking at employing more than 200 local people here,” he said.
Speaking at the same occasion, director of operations Mr Terrence Ncube said everyone at the site is working hard to ensure construction is completed soon so that production may start.
“Currently, we have 80 employees here who are working flat out to ensure work is done quickly. This processing plant will produce lithium carbonate in Zimbabwe. This is the first company to have this plant in Zimbabwe. So here, we will be processing lithium ore into lithium carbonate, which is a critical component in the manufacturing of batteries and ceramics.
“The plant has the capacity to produce 2 500 tonnes per day. We are working hard to ensure we meet our target so that production can begin, for the benefit of the nation,” he said.
Lithium metal is exceptionally reactive, bursting into flame in the presence of water or moisture, so world trade is carried out with pure lithium carbonate and it is as this salt that lithium is delivered to battery factories and other users.
Mashonaland East provincial Environmental Management Agency’s education and publicity officer Mr Astas Mabwe said Shenxiang is still complying with environmental standards expected of them in their line of operations.
Zimbabwe has a large occurrence of lithium ores, with a number of mining operations already started in Insiza, Goromonzi, Bikita and Mberengwa with more to follow.
The lithium subsector is expected to contribute in excess of US$500 million to the country’s mining economy by year end.
Online Reporter