CAPE TOWN – Sandawana Lithium Mine is poised to more than double its lithium concentrate output in the current financial year, Mutapa Energy Minerals Chief Executive Officer Innocent Rukweza has revealed, as the newly established commodity vertical accelerates Zimbabwe’s march toward full lithium beneficiation under the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2).
By Rudairo Mapuranga
Speaking at the Mutapa Mining Indaba Symposium in Cape Town, Rukweza provided the most detailed breakdown yet of Sandawana’s operational performance, expansion trajectory, and the formidable infrastructure hurdles that threaten to constrain the mine’s rapid ascent.
Production Surge: 122% Growth in Concentrate Output
In FY2026 (April 2025–March 2026), Sandawana is forecast to mine 1.8 million tonnes of ore and produce 162,000 tonnes of lithium concentrate, representing a 122% increase from FY2025’s output of 73,000 tonnes. Mining volumes are set to rise more than fivefold from 343,000 tonnes in the prior year.
Since June 2023, the mine has generated US$117.3 million in export proceeds, a figure Rukweza said was constrained by depressed commodity prices between 2024 and 2025. With lithium prices now firmly recovering, the cash flow outlook has shifted decisively.
Stockpiled Strength: US$14 Million in Ore Reserves
Sandawana currently holds over 600,000 tonnes of lithium ore of varied grades and recoverability, with an estimated value ranging between US$8 million and US$14 million. This stockpile represents immediate monetisable value as processing capacity expands.
The Infrastructure Bottleneck: US$36 Million for Roads, Power and Water
In a remarkably candid assessment, Rukweza identified infrastructure, not geology or funding, as Sandawana’s most binding constraint.
“The road to Sandawana remains a key strategic imperative the company will need to urgently address,” he said. “The turnaround time for transporting ore for toll processing at the Gwanda Lithium plant remains very poor, and in the current rainy season, the mine becomes inaccessible, hampering returns and profitability.”
The required roadworks are estimated at US$16 million, with the entity currently undergoing a selection process for service providers. Power and water challenges, while less acute, require an additional investment of upwards of US$20 million.
US$250 Million Concentrator: Funding Secured, Construction Imminent
The centrepiece of Sandawana’s beneficiation push is a US$250 million concentrator plant, a significant downward revision from earlier US$270 million estimates. Critically, Rukweza confirmed that funding has been secured, with construction targeted to commence by mid-year.
“We are targeting to commence construction by mid-year at the latest, which will take 18 to 24 months at most,” he said.
This aligns with the government’s policy timeline, which will see a total ban on lithium concentrate exports from January 2027. The concentrator is designed to process three million tonnes of ore per annum, producing approximately 600,000 tonnes of concentrate.
Beyond the concentrator, Rukweza confirmed a third-phase ambition: a lithium sulphate plant producing battery-grade material.
“Sandawana is set to beneficiate lithium and continue to push upstream in the supply chain, creating jobs and competencies locally,” he said.
Exploration Drive: Unlocking Block B and Block C
Improved cash flows from firmer lithium prices will enable an aggressive exploration programme across Sandawana’s underexplored Blocks B and C.
“This is critical for the additional projects anticipated and to have a record of the true potential of the lithium company,” Rukweza said. The programme is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.
Markets, Partners and the China Factor
Currently, all of Sandawana’s lithium ore and concentrate are destined for China, the dominant global processing hub for battery materials and electric vehicle production. Rukweza confirmed that Mutapa Energy is actively engaging strategic partners to support both the concentrate phase and future downstream processing, with interest already received from parties keen to participate across the full lithium value chain.
CSR: Deferred, Not Abandoned
Rukweza acknowledged that corporate social responsibility initiatives had been shelved due to prior cash flow challenges. However, with prices firming, a pipeline of community projects is set for activation, including:
- Construction of a clinic
- Provision of water infrastructure
- Support for local enterprises
- Alignment with NDS2’s village enterprises thrust
“The infrastructure development will also impact the socio-economic lives of the people around Sandawana,” he said.
Strategic Context: A Vertical for a National Imperative
Rukweza’s detailed exposition came just weeks after Mutapa Investment Fund completed its comprehensive restructuring of the former Kuvimba Mining House conglomerate, unbundling it into five specialised commodity verticals. Mutapa Energy Minerals, which Rukweza now leads, is tasked with executing Zimbabwe’s lithium beneficiation strategy, a mandate he made clear is both a commercial objective and a national industrial project.
With production doubling, funding secured, infrastructure under urgent remediation, and a clear pathway from ore to concentrate to sulphate, Sandawana is no longer a prospect. It is a project in full flight.
