Chinese mining conglomerate Sinomine Resource Group, which owns Bikita Minerals, has completed the construction of a dual lithium processing plant at its 10.8-million-tonne Bikita mine in Zimbabwe.
The mine can now start processing spodumene and increase petalite output from the existing 50,000 tonnes annually thanks to the processing infrastructure, which consists of a Gravity Separation Plant and a Flotation plant.
Its completion comes after a $200 million investment by Sinomine in 2022 to create new production lines and increase operations at the mine.
“The new Gravity separation plant (petalite) with an annual capacity of two million tonnes (petalite concentrate) was initiated by the company through its own funds and raised capital, with construction work starting in 2022 based on the existing beneficiation of the plant at the Bikita mine,” it said in a statement.
“The newly constructed Floatation plant (spodumene) also comes with an annual capacity of two million tonnes (spodumene concentrate).”
The mine was acquired by the Chinese for $180 million, and the facility was put into operation in January 2022.
It will have the capacity to produce up to 300,000 metric tonnes of spodumene concentrate and 480,000 tonnes of petalite annually.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
