President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe: Formerly opens Lithium Processing Plant

By Abdul Rahman Bangura–

NEW AFRICA DAILY NEWS (NADN) Freetown, Sierra Leone– Formerly…the President authorized China’s Sinomine Resource Group’s processing plant and an expanded petalite processing plant at Zimbabwe’s Bikita Lithium Mine.

“I commend Sinomine Resource Group for taking heed of my government’s call for beneficiation and value addition of lithium ores by investing over $300 million into the various stages of the project,” let out Mnangagwa.

He told the considerable landmark correlates with Zimbabwe’s endeavors to crystallize nation’s status as a regional and global nucleus for lithium mining and affiliated industries.

“The investment is in sync with my administration’s focus on mineral beneficiation towards propelling the multi-faceted growth of our economy,” the President highlighted.

The country is mindful of its strategic obligation to provide crucial resources to a vast number of global industries for shared prosperity, he said.

Mnangagwa said that despite the commendable milestones achieved in the lithium sub-sector, players must remain on course to produce battery- grade lithium and other related value-added products.

Sinomine Resource Group Chairman – Wang Pingwei spoke out the growth at Bikita Mine is a testament to Sinomine’s responsibility to subsidizing in Africa.

He said reaching full capacity at Bikita Mine enables the processing plants’ efficiency and quality of output.

“Looking ahead, we aim to enhance our mining operations, increase employee benefits, and extend our research and development into other minerals. We are also exploring the feasibility of a refinery plant to further expand our industrial chain and add value to our product, reinforcing Zimbabwe’s position in the global new energy industry,” said Wang.

He said Sinomine is committed to the socio-economic progress of the community through corporate social responsibility ambitions Mining and value addition is a key to attaining the government’s development purposes, said Soda Zhemu, Zimbabwe’s Mines and Mining Development Minister.

He said his ministry has drawn up strategies to assure that the engineering sector achieves its full prospect, comprising facilitating the
exploration of minerals through engaging in partnerships with the private sector, establishing new mines across the country, and working on policies to encourage mineral beneficiation and value addition.

Zimbabwe holds Africa’s largest deposits of lithium, a key battery mineral, and longings to capitalize on the international motivation for green energy.

For New Africa Daily News Abdul Rahman Bangura Reports, Africa Correspondent