Vusumuzi Dube
Judith Phiri, Business Reporter
THE Government has said the establishment of the Mines to Energy Industrial Park in Mapinga, Mashonaland West Province, a lithium value addition and beneficiation project, will be implemented on phased basis, with Phase 1 set to begin in June this year.
Government will have a shareholding in the project which will span over an area of 500 hectares.
Cabinet on Tuesday was briefed by Vice President Chiwenga, as the Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on the Establishment of the Mines to Energy Industrial Park in Mapinga.
In a post-Cabinet briefing, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere said the project will have a number of facilities activities.
“Government wishes to inform the nation that the Mines to Energy Industrial Park is a lithium value addition and beneficiation project that will have the following facilities activities, the construction of a coking plant with a capacity of 1.2 million and 130 000 metric tonnes of coke and lithium salt per annum, respectively; the construction of two, 300 megawatt power stations; a graphite processing plant; a nickle chromium alloy smelter; and a nickle sulphate plant, together with supportive power
supply and logistics,” he said.
“The industrial park will span over an area of 500 hectares and will be implemented on phased basis, with Phase 1 set to begin in June 2024. Government will have a shareholding in the project.”
Zimbabwe has the largest lithium reserves in Africa and the Government under the efforts of the Second Republic is positioning the country as a lithium hub.
Bongani Ndlovu