In an endeavour to ensure the country benefits from the green revolution by beneficiating and value-adding the country’s minerals, especially lithium, the government has announced that construction for Phase 1 of the Mapinga Mines to Energy Industrial Park will commence in June.
The Mapinga Mines to Energy Park aims to bridge the gap between beneficiation and value addition by creating a manufacturing industry for commodities like lithium batteries, electric vehicles, and others.
This industrial park is a lithium value addition and beneficiation project that will include the construction of a coking plant with a capacity of 1.2 million metric tonnes of coke and 130,000 metric tonnes of lithium salt per annum. Additionally, it will involve the construction of two 300-megawatt power stations, a graphite processing plant, a nickel-chromium alloy smelter, and a nickel sulfate plant, supported by power supply and logistics.
According to Minister of Information, Honorable J. Muswere, Cabinet was briefed by Vice President Retired General Constantine Guvheya Chiwenga, Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on the Establishment of the Mines to Energy Industrial Park in Mapinga. He stated that the industrial park, spanning over 500 hectares, will be implemented in phases, with Phase 1 set to begin in June 2024. The government will hold a shareholding in the project.
“Honorable C.G.D.N. Chiwenga briefed Cabinet as Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on the Establishment of the Mines to Energy Industrial Park in Mapinga. The industrial park, covering 500 hectares, will be implemented in phases, with Phase 1 scheduled to commence in June 2024. The government will have a shareholding in this project,” said Hon. Muswere.