Kamativi revival, production scheduled before June 2023
Kamativi Mining Company (KMC) which currently is undertaking extensive exploration at the once-biggest tin mine in Zimbabwe has projected to begin its lithium mining and processing by the end of the first half of next year.
The company which is a joint venture between China’s PD Group and Kamativi Tin Mines Limited has since September 2021 drilled over 70 holes and is currently drilling 100 more holes which will authenticate the former tin mine as the country’s biggest lithium spodumene ore body.
According to the company’s Project Manager Mr Turkey Liang, the development of Kamativi Mining Company will be in two phases. The first phase is expected to debut production by the end of June 2023 joining Bikita Minerals in contributing towards the attainment of the US$0.5 billion lithium annual revenue from 2023.
During the first phase, KMC is expecting to construct a plant with the capacity to process 0.6 million tonnes of ore per year. The company will conduct major upgrades to the plant to restore the asset to its former glory.
“During Phase 1 we plan to restore and refurbish all dilapidated infrastructure, construction, water supply and reticulation infrastructure, power supply infrastructure, roads and transportation systems, communication systems, administrative office facilities, scientific research and technical services, employee living facilities, commercial services facilities, as well as public engineering facilities and public life service facilities such as landscaping, environmental protection, culture, education and health etc. Meanwhile, we are looking to build a facility which can process a minimum of 0.6 million tonnes of raw ore per year with an output of lithium, tantalum, niobium etc integrated multi-metal concentrate products and process in our assorted laboratory,” he told Mining Zimbabwe.
He said Phase 2 of KMC development (expected to be complete by end of September 2024), will see the company constructing a facility to enable it to process 1.2 million tonnes of ore per year.
“During Phase 2 we will complete the construction of the underground well or stripping, mineral processing plant construction and facilities, tailings pond and other construction of ancillary production facilities. We are going to complete the installation of all kinds of equipment, electrical, fire protection, ventilation, communication engineering, safety monitoring, automatic control system, and other finishing work of mine construction. According to the detailed exploration result, we are planning to build a mining engineering plant with a mining capacity of 1.2 million tonnes of ore per year and an assorted dressing plant with an output capacity of 200 thousand tonnes per year. Phase 2 is estimated to get into production by the end of September 2024,” he said.
Exploration by Kamativi Mining Company (KMC)
Mining Zimbabwe recently visited KMC on a fact-finding mission on the progress by the Kamativi Mining Company. This publication has established that between September 2021 and March 2022 Phase-one drilling commenced with 38 holes being drilled to the depth of 2140 m Phase-one drilling focuses on open-cast areas with shallow holes for Open Cast Mining.
Between April 2022-June 2022 Phase-two drilling commenced with the company managing to drill 28 holes of 5000m. The drilling was for underground mining with Mineral Processing research currently ongoing. Phase-two detailed drilling of 100 holes of around 15000m was also carried out with Detailed exploration for underground mining and resource report and feasibility study currently underway.
Currently, 4900m have been drilled from late September 2022 with 8 rigs on site with another 4 rigs expected by early November bringing the total to 12 rigs. The work will lead to locating the first mining area, designing for mining and carrying out mining activity.