THE government says the recently commissioned 300 000 tonne Sabi Star Mine flotation plant is a significant step towards the fulfillment of the Mapinga mines-to-energy park grand plan.
A memorandum of understanding was signed between the government of Zimbabwe and Chinese investors, the Eagle Canyon group, last September signalling the intent to set up the park.
“All these will be upgrading resources to battery grade material,” Mines minister Winston Chitando said during the recent commissioning of Sabi Star Mine Flotation Plant in Buhera.
Sharing the same investor with the Mapinga project, Sabi Star will provide a vital link to the mines-to-energy park which, according to Chitando, is an important part of the government’s vision for the development of the mining sector and the country as a whole.
“Today, we are gathered here where His Excellency (President Mnangagwa) has commissioned a 300 000 tonnes per annum lithium concentrate plant. Work is in progress to expand this plant to 500 000 tonnes per annum.
“Work is in progress to establish the mines-to-energy park in Mapinga. Quite often a number of us may not realise the greater context in terms of the way this country is developing. The 2030 Vision for Zimbabwe is to become an upper middle-income economy. That’s happening day by day,” Chitando said.
“The 2023 milestone for the mining industry to be a US$12 billion industry, we are moving towards it. His Excellency will preside over what we will have done at the end of the year and thereafter set a new target for the sector.”
The government set the US$12 billion 2023 mining industry target in October 2019 as part of the broader macroeconomic roadmap towards an Upper Middle-Income Economy by 2030.
The US$12 billion mining industry would represent a 344 percent increase from the US$2,7 billion registered in 2017.
Permanent secretary in the ministry of Mines, Pfungwa Kunaka, pointed out the pace with which the Sabi Star investor was working.
“The groundbreaking ceremony of Sabi Star Lithium Mine was only held on December 14, 2022. The Sabi Star Mine flotation plant generally called the processing plant is an endeavour towards value addition and beneficiation of lithium in Zimbabwe.
“The Mines ministry will continue working tirelessly to ensure that this project is a success,” Kunaka said.
“It is exciting to note that a number of developments are happening within the lithium sector pointing towards growth in line with the government’s vision. The mines-to-energy park project, which will be implemented in phases, also entails the construction of two 300MW power stations and a coking plant.”
He said the park would produce batteries, solar panels and other related products
“This lithium project (Sabi Star) will directly feed into the mines-to-energy park where the bigger processing plant will be established, marking the inception of a robust lithium processing industry.
“There is going to be a great value chain spectrum in Zimbabwean lithium mining,” Kunaka said.