Online Reporter
Victor Maphosa
Mashonaland East Bureau
THE construction of a US$400 million lithium sulphate processing plant in Goromonzi by Huayou Cobalt’s Arcadia Technology Zimbabwe (ATZ) is nearing completion, with commissioning expected in the first quarter of next year.
The state-of-the-art facility, the first of its kind in Africa and only the third globally, is set to transform Zimbabwe’s mining landscape by adding significant value to the country’s vast lithium resources.
A subsidiary of Huayou Cobalt and sister company to Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe (PLZ), ATZ is spearheading the investment, which is expected to create over 1 000 jobs, stimulate local economic growth and position Zimbabwe as a key player in the global lithium battery materials supply chain.
The project aligns with Government’s drive to increase value addition and beneficiation in the mining sector, in pursuit of Vision 2030’s goal of attaining upper-middle-income status.
The plant will produce 50 000 tonnes of lithium sulphate annually.
Lithium sulphate is a precursor to lithium carbonate, a critical component in manufacturing lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles, renewable energy storage and other modern technologies.At the recent media tour of the construction site, Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe’s director of environment and social governance, Mr Yu Long, said the project represents a direct response to Government’s call to beneficiate lithium locally, in line with the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).
“This is also in response to the Government’s impending ban on lithium concentrate exports set for January 2027. The sulphate plant is an additional step in the beneficiation process and will significantly strengthen Zimbabwe’s role in the global lithium battery value chain,” he said.
“Notably, the plant stands as the first of its kind in Zimbabwe and Africa as a whole, and the third globally.”
Mr Yu added that cutting-edge technology was being deployed in the project and confirmed that a 70MW thermal power plant would also be installed to guarantee uninterrupted electricity supply to both ATZ and PLZ operations.
“This investment again aligns with Government’s NDS1 goal of ‘economic growth and stability,’ while also boosting employment and industrial capacity,” he said.
In addition to the sulphate plant, infrastructure development in Goromonzi is receiving a boost, with the road linking the PLZ site to the Harare-Mutare Highway undergoing intensive upgrades. Four kilometres of the first phase have already been completed and opened to traffic.
The improved road network is expected to facilitate smoother transportation of goods and people, while enhancing the district’s attractiveness to future investors.
Since beginning operations in 2022, PLZ has also invested more than US$3 million in corporate social responsibility initiatives in Goromonzi District, further cementing its role as a partner in local development.
