ASX listed lithium and battery minerals company, Prospect Resources has discovered possible large deposits at its Arcadia Mine of caesium, a much sought after chemical element or metal used mainly in high temperature or high-pressure oil and gas drilling.
Prospect is an Australia listed firm involved in the exploration and mining of lithium, used to make electric vehicle batteries and in the ceramics industry. The company is currently developing the Arcadia Lithium project near Harare.
Demand for lithium is anticipated to grow exponentially as electric vehicles become more common and affordable, driving growth in global demand, as is the case at the moment with internal combustion engines (ICE).
While lithium is one of the major minerals expected to drive the Government’s vision of building a US$12 billion industry by 2023, caesium could be another significant export earner for Prospect and Zimbabwe.
The identified chemical element occurs within pollucite, a high value and rare caesium bearing mineral that forms in extremely differentiated Lithium-Caesium-Tantalum (“LCT”) molten rock systems.
Zimbabwe’s lithium deposits are second to none in Africa, and proven deposits are located in Bikita, Goromonzi, and Kamativi.