US$400m sulphate plant complete

Victor Maphosa Mashonaland East Bureau Construction of the US$400 million sulphate processing plant by Huayou Cobalt in Goromonzi District, Mashonaland East Province, has been completed, with the facility set for official commissioning soon. Production has already begun, with Arcadia Technology Zimbabwe (ATZ) now exporting value-added lithium concentrates. ATZ is a subsidiary of Huayou Cobalt and a sister company to Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe (PLZ). Yesterday, Special Advisor to the President responsible for Monitoring Implementation of Government Programmes, Dr Joram Gumbo, visited PLZ, where the sulphate processing plant is installed. He was accompanied by Permanent Secretary of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Mashonaland East, Mr Tavabarira Kutamahufa and PLZ officials. Dr Gumbo said he was impressed by operations at PLZ and commended the company for responding to Government’s call for value addition in the mining sector. “When Huayou Cobalt acquired the Arcadia asset, their investment represented far more than a commercial transaction, it was a profound vote of confidence in the economic stability, governance and future of Zimbabwe,” he said. “In record time, we have witnessed a visionary blueprint transform into one of the most advanced and sophisticated lithium processing plant on the African continent. “This rapid execution is a testament to what can be achieved when international investors and the Government of Zimbabwe work in perfect alignment.” Dr Gumbo said for too long, the narrative of African mining was one of simple extraction, just digging raw materials out of the earth and exporting them to foreign shores, leaving little value behind. “Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe represents a decisive break from that outdated paradigm. Through the state-of-the-art facility, we are ensuring that Zimbabwe retains a significant share of the global value chain. “By processing raw ore into high grade spodumene and petalite concentrates right here at home, we are championing the critical cause of local value addition and beneficiation,” Dr Gumbo said. He said the project has already begun delivering economic benefits through job creation and skills transfer. PLZ has created more than 2 000 direct and indirect jobs, securing the livelihoods of thousands of families across Mashonaland East and beyond. “More importantly, this facility serves as an academy of high-level industrial skills. “By operating such advanced machinery, our local metallurgical and engineering professionals are gaining invaluable expertise, ensuring a sustainable transfer of knowledge that will benefit our nation for generations to come. “The story of Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe is still in its opening chapters. As the global demand for electric vehicles continues to accelerate, the eyes of the international community will remain fixed on our country.” “This venture has proven beyond doubt that Zimbabwe is indeed open for business, fully capable of hosting mega projects and ready to compete as a dominant player on the global stage. It stands as a shining template of public-private partnership and international collaboration,” he said. As a pioneer in lithium sulphate production, PLZ occupies a unique position in the sector, said Dr Gumbo, adding that there is need to “dynamically” update existing regulatory frameworks to “accommodate this highly specialised industry”. “I wish to assure you today that Government is fully committed to continuous constructive engagement with regulatory authorities to resolve these ongoing administrative challenges, thereby establishing an increasingly supportive and seamless operational environment for such critical investments,” he said. Mr Kutamahufa said the investment will boost the province’s economy and create employment opportunities. “Our GDP as a province will rise because of investments of this magnitude. We want to, also, applaud this company for such a massive investment which among others, has created a lot of jobs for our people especially those from Goromonzi. “There is also the issue of skills transfer, which is to be taken into consideration. The organisation is also playing a major role in uplifting people’s livelihoods through is corporate social responsibility. “As a province, we commend such investments,” he said. PLZ public relations manager Mrs Patience Chizodza said the company is aligning with Government’s call for mineral beneficiation and value addition. “We are responding to the Government’s call on mineral beneficiation. This plant here was established to process lithium concentrate into lithium sulphate. “We are proud of this because we are the first company to heed the Government’s call to process lithium into processed products. “We are the largest company in Africa and the third largest in the world and we are proud of the milestone that we have taken. PLZ and ATZ are employing 2 000 workers directly and another 2 000 indirectly.”