Arcadia Lithium Mine Boosts Output by 48% in Q1 20...

Arcadia Lithium Mine Boosts Output by 48% in Q1 2025

ZimNow Reporter

Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe’s (PLZ) Arcadia Lithium Mine ramped up production by 48.3% in the first quarter of 2025, producing a total of 128,348.68 tonnesof spodumene concentrate.

According to the company, output rose steadily from 34,057 tonnes in January, to 43,791.68 tonnes in February, and 50,500 tonnes in March a clear sign of sustained operational momentum at one of Africa’s largest hard-rock lithium deposits.

“This strong performance reflects Arcadia’s optimized operations and the robust demand for lithium as a battery mineral,” the company said .

The first-quarter surge follows a record-breaking year for the mine in 2024, during which lithium concentrate exports increased by 41% year on year to nearly 400,000 tonnes, according to Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt, the Chinese mining giant that owns PLZ.

In its 2024 annual report, the company confirmed construction began on a 50,000-tonne-per-annum lithium sulfate plant , marking a major shift toward domestic beneficiation.

“The sulfate plant will slash logistics costs and position Zimbabwe as a player in the midstream lithium market,” PLZ said.

The facility, designed to process spodumene concentrate into lithium salts, is expected to reduce the country’s reliance on raw mineral exports and support the government's value addition strategy.

Zimbabwe banned raw lithium exports in 2022 to encourage local processing and capture more value from its vast mineral reserves.

“Arcadia is no longer just a mine; it’s a cornerstone of Zimbabwe’s energy transition,” an industry analyst said.

“Huayou Cobalt’s aggressive investment has transformed it into a model of efficiency and vertical integration.”

Zimbabwe’s broader lithium industry has also seen rapid growth. In 2023, the country earned US$0.5 billion in lithium exports, part of its ambitious US$12 billion mining sector roadmap.

Arcadia, projects like Bikita Minerals and Zulu Lithium are expanding operations to meet global demand for electric vehicle (EV) and battery storage components.

With a measured and indicated resource of 58.3 million tonnes at 1.21% Li₂O and a projected mine life exceeding nine years, Arcadia is poised to play a central role in securing Zimbabwe’s place in the global battery minerals supply chain.