UK-listed Premier weighs other industrial minerals in Zimbabwe

Nqobile Bhebhe

Zimpapers Business Hub

AIM-listed Premier African Minerals is positioning itself for long-term sustainability and value creation by expanding its portfolio beyond lithium to include other critical industrial minerals such as tantalum, while also pursuing opportunities in gold.

The move comes as part of a broader strategy to buffer the company against volatility in lithium prices and unlock greater value from its Zulu Lithium and Tantalum Project in Insiza.

The Zulu lithium project, located near Fort Rixon in Matabeleland South Province, is seen as a potential game-changer for Zimbabwe’s lithium ambitions.

In its latest detailed update to its strategic report, Premier noted significant progress in reconfiguring the Zulu plant and revealed plans to diversify its outputs beyond spodumene concentrate.

“It is worth noting again that the final determination of the success of the project should not be limited to the production of spodumene concentrate at adequate grade and recovery but reflect that Zulu is an industrial minerals project and that the potential recovery of additional minerals such as tantalum may assist to underpin the project’s long-term viability,” chief executive officer (CEO), Mr George Roach said.

Modifications to the spodumene float section of the Zulu plant are well underway, with trial runs scheduled for early July 2025.

This upgrade is central to improving recoveries and grades from current levels.

“As previously announced, the fallback position is a separate conventional design spodumene float section if the inserts and reagent monitoring do not produce the grade and recovery that match laboratory results,” added Mr Roach.

In parallel, the company is examining alternatives for mica removal and exploring the viability of operating dual flotation circuits.

One circuit will aim for high-grade technical spodumene, while the second will target higher recoveries at slightly lower grades (5 percent –5.5 percent), effectively producing two products for distinct markets.

With spodumene prices under pressure, Premier is ramping up efforts to diversify into tantalum, a critical component in the electronics and aerospace sectors.