Bravura Processing Plant Arrives, Civil Works Commence
Pan-African diversified mining company Bravura has had its state-of-the-art lithium processing plant components delivered to its Kamativi Lithium project site
By Rudairo Mapuranga
The company is concurrently undertaking civil works for the plant foundations and other ancillary structures, Mining Zimbabwe has learned.
Speaking to Mining Zimbabwe, Bravura’s Head of the Kamativi Dump Processing Project, Dr Tafadzwa Murinzi, stated that the relocation of the plant components will continue until all parts have arrived in the country. This process is running concurrently with the ongoing civil works.
“The plant is a 300-tonne-per-hour concentrate facility, translating to a spodumene concentrate production of 70,000 tonnes per annum. The expected grade of the concentrate is 6% lithium oxide. We have started relocating the plant into the country, and this process will continue until all the components are on the ground. Concurrently, we are doing civil works for the plant foundations and other ancillaries. Once that is done, we will commence with plant installation and then commissioning. At that stage, we will begin production,” Dr. Murinzi explained.
Dr. Murinzi also noted that nine containers of the plant have already arrived at the Kamativi Lithium Dump Project site, and the installation and commissioning will follow as soon as the civil works are completed.
According to Dr. Murinzi, Manhattan Corporation, the company responsible for designing and manufacturing the plant, will also handle its installation. However, there is a strong emphasis on involving local personnel to ensure skills transfer during the process.
“The vendor who manufactured the plant will be responsible for its installation to ensure it operates efficiently. However, they will work hand in hand with our local engineers, artisans, and other technical personnel. During this phase, there will be a skills transfer to ensure our team is well-equipped to manage and run the plant after the commissioning process,” Dr. Murinzi said.
She further emphasized that Bravura’s employment criteria favour local people, with general workers being hired from the community and skilled positions sourced from across the country.
“Our vision also includes further beneficiation of the product. For managerial and most technical positions, we look for the skill set within the entire country, while for general workers, we aim to employ locally. We are working closely with local governance structures, including chiefs and councillors, to ensure we hire the right people from the area,” Dr. Murinzi added.
The Kamativi Dump Project head highlighted the significant benefits the local community will gain from the project through employment opportunities and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, which Bravura will undertake in collaboration with community leadership.
“The surrounding community will benefit primarily through employment creation. We intend to provide a significant number of jobs for the local community. Additionally, we are collaborating with local governance structures to identify the particular needs of the community and engage in programmes that will be most beneficial,” she noted.
“For managing tailings or waste generated from the construction processes, we will have a tailings storage facility. We have already started on the designs, ensuring everything aligns with regulatory requirements for such a facility. It will be lined and placed a certain distance away from water bodies. We are also ensuring that the facility meets ISO requirements and adheres to the best industrial standards,” Dr. Murinzi said.
“In terms of water for processing, we are currently investigating available options and getting assistance from local Zinwa authorities. Our plant will use DMS technology, chosen after thorough evaluation to ensure it includes the latest refinements for improved recovery efficiency and compliance with safety, health, and environmental standards,” she added.
Dr. Murinzi concluded by emphasizing the importance of maintaining strong relationships with vendors and manufacturers, treating them as business partners beyond the supply of equipment.
“We treat all our vendors and manufacturers as business partners. Our relationship with them extends beyond the supply of equipment; we continue working with them to stay informed on new developments. They continuously optimize the plant to ensure it operates according to the latest available industrial standards,” she concluded.