A lithium concentrator, the primary stage in processing the steel, crushes and leaches ore to provide saleable concentrates which are additional refined into lithium carbonate or lithium hydroxide utilized in batteries. Zimbabwe at the moment doesn’t refine lithium, however exports concentrates to China for additional processing.
The corporate didn’t identify the buyers, solely saying they have been “main overseas British and Chinese language corporations within the world lithium market”. Kuvimba mentioned the build-operate-transfer association would lapse after six years.
The plant is ready to be commissioned inside 18 months, producing 600,000 metric tons of lithium focus yearly, Kuvimba mentioned.
Zimbabwe, Africa’s high producer of lithium, which is utilized in electrical automobile batteries and to retailer renewable power, has attracted greater than $1 billion funding in lithium initiatives since 2021, principally from Chinese language battery steel corporations, based on firm filings.
Among the Chinese language corporations with mines in Zimbabwe embrace Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt, Sinomine Useful resource Group, Chengxin Lithium Group, Canmax Applied sciences and Yahua Group.
(By Nyasha Chingono and Nelson Banya; Modifying by Aurora Ellis)