Chronicle Editor
Senior Business Reporter
Red Rock Resources Plc , a natural resource development company with interests in gold and base metals, is optimistic that its environmental-impact assessment (EIA) for its first planned lithium production site, Tin Hill will be approved by relevant authorities in April.
In an update yesterday, the mining firm said the Environmental Management Plan (EMP) and Site of Works Plan for Tin Hill were approved by the Environmental Management Agency in January this year.
Stakeholder and community engagement have been completed.
It said approval of the EIA may occur from mid-April onwards and then additional geologists and staff will be mobilised to site. After two weeks of pre-mining preparatory work, trial mining can begin.
Chairman of Red Rock Resources, Andrew Bell said they look forward to updating the market over the next weeks as they move towards first production.
“Work has progressed in Zimbabwe on key administrative, technical and regulatory tasks, and with the conclusion of the community engagement programme we have now filed the complete EIA for our first planned lithium production site, Tin Hill, for approval.
“In February illegal miners appeared on site but prompt action ensured that only a minimal delay of about two weeks was caused before we were back on track.
“We look forward to updating the market over the next weeks as we move towards first production.”
Red Rock Resources is an exploration company boasting gold exploration projects in Kenya, West Africa and Australia, copper/cobalt exploration in Congo, and lithium exploration in Zimbabwe.
On March 31 2022, the UK listed firm announced that it had completed the creation of African Lithium Resources Pvt Limited in which it will hold 75 percent.
The other 15 percent will be held by an unnamed local partner.
A number of companies have lately been scouting for opportunities to acquire the commodity which has become highly sought-after globally, leading to a stampede of lithium investors in the country.
Zimbabwe holds some of the world’s largest reserves of hard-rock lithium, a vital mineral used in the production of clean energy technologies.
Several lithium projects are currently at various levels of implementation across the country, a positive trajectory inspired mainly by the bullish global lithium prices. The traction in the lithium sector is likely going to contribute handsomely to the fiscus if exploited on a win-win basis.
Zimbabwe is earmarked to realise US$500 million from lithium mining activities this year as the country seeks to grow mining to a US $12 billion industry this year.
Sidumisile Mabena