Sinomine halts operations at Bikita Minerals
Sinomine Resource Group’s Zimbabwe lithium unit, Bikita Minerals, has temporarily halted operations for a week due to unspecified administrative concerns raised by the authorities.
Sinomine acquired Bikita Minerals in a US $180 million deal last year, making it Zimbabwe’s sole lithium-producing mine and one of the oldest in Africa. The company stated that it is working closely with relevant authorities to address the concerns and expects to resume operations once the issues are resolved.
“As a law-abiding corporate, we remain committed to fully complying with all requirements of the law and expect to resume operations once all the outstanding issues have been addressed,” Bikita Minerals added.
The Zimbabwean government’s Ministry of Mines has not provided immediate comment on the matter. Zimbabwe aims to leverage its significant lithium deposits to benefit from the global shift towards battery-powered energy and boost its economy.
Bikita Minerals
Sinomine has invested an additional $200 million to expand operations at Bikita Minerals, including the construction of two lithium processing plants. These plants are expected to produce 250,000 tonnes of spodumene concentrate and 480,000 tonnes of petalite annually.
Spodumene is a crucial battery mineral, while petalite is used in the glass and ceramic industries. The commissioning of the two plants is scheduled for July 2023. Bikita Minerals currently employs 860 workers. Chinese firms, such as Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt and Chengxin Lithium Group, have recently invested over $700 million in Zimbabwe, attracted by the country’s vast hard rock lithium deposits.
