Zheli Mining is spending about US$200,000 a month on electricity to run its lithium processing plant, yet power shortages can leave as much as two-thirds of its 900-tonne-a-day processing capacity unused, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Ryan Chigoche
The Zvishavane-based processor says it can be forced to reduce feed to about 300 tonnes a day or less when electricity is unavailable, highlighting the operating pressure facing Zimbabwean mineral processors as the country pushes for more local beneficiation.
Kudakwashe Zimondi, Zheli Mining’s general manager, said the company’s electricity bill reflects the scale of its processing operation, but does not guarantee uninterrupted supply.
“We are paying US$200,000 in electricity per month, but right now we don’t have [electricity]. We believe it’s because of the rainy season. We produce at a standard capacity of 900 tons per day as our feeding, but without electricity like this, to feed maybe 300 or less,” Zimondi said during an MMCZ lithium media tour of the plant in Zvishavane.
At 300 tonnes a day, the plant would be operating at roughly one-third of its stated feed capacity, potentially leaving about 600 tonnes of daily processing capacity unused.
The impact reflects a wider problem for Zimbabwe’s mining industry. The Chamber of Mines has previously found that 99% of surveyed miners were experiencing unscheduled power outages averaging about eight hours a day. About 76% reported losing up to 10% of production potential, while 24% reported losses above 10%, with the disruptions estimated to represent about US$500 million in potential revenue losses.
For Zheli, the immediate effect is lower throughput. Less feed moving through the crushing, milling and separation circuits means less spodumene can be processed into concentrate, while the company continues to carry the fixed costs of its processing infrastructure.
Zheli has been adjusting its operating schedule to work around the shortages, with production often pushed into the night when electricity becomes available.
“Mostly we are forced to work at night because of these shortages of electricity,” Zimondi said.
The company believes the electricity challenges are more pronounced during the rainy season, with fewer problems during the dry season.
“During the summer, in the dry season, there are less challenges of electricity,” he said.
The power constraints come as Zheli is expanding its processing footprint. The company has two processing lines with a combined feed capacity of about 900 tonnes a day and expects throughput to exceed 1,000 tonnes a day once the operation reaches full potential.
Established in 2024, Zheli started processing in August 2025 after investing roughly US$15 million in its operations.
The company processes low-grade spodumene under an exclusive processing agreement with Mutapa Energy Minerals’ Sandawana Lithium Mine, using crushing, ball milling, separation, jig tables, shaking tables and flotation to remove impurities and upgrade the lithium-bearing material into concentrate.
Zheli is also preparing to move further up the value chain, with plans for a lithium sulphate plant in Zimbabwe in partnership with several Chinese companies.
That expansion raises the importance of reliable electricity. The company is seeking to increase throughput at its existing plant while adding another layer of processing, potentially increasing its exposure to power availability.
At roughly US$200,000 a month, Zheli’s stated electricity expenditure amounts to about US$2.4 million a year. Yet the company can still be forced to operate substantially below the capacity for which it has invested.
The experience highlights a wider challenge for Zimbabwe’s beneficiation drive. Processing plants can add value to the country’s mineral output, but the economic case depends not only on investment and equipment, but also on the reliable power needed to keep that capacity productive.
