Chinese investor and Mutoko Lithium Pvt Ltd partne...

Chinese investor and Mutoko Lithium Pvt Ltd partner to establish processing plant

Chinese owner restarts work on Australia-first lithium plant

Philemon Jambaya

Mutoko Lithium Private Limited has partnered with Suzhou TA Camp A Ultra Clean Technology of China to set up a lithium processing plant in Zimbabwe.

Chairperson of Suzhou TA Camp A Ultra Clean Technology which is run by billionaire Mr Pei Zhenhua signed a Joint Venture with Mutoko Lithium (Private) Limited represented by Mr Sybrand van de Spuy to set up a plant that will produce two million tonnes of lithium concentrate per annum.

“We are excited to invest in Zimbabwe. We particularly find Zimbabwe an attractive country; specifically, there is abundance of resources and human capital.”

“We believe that this investment will contribute to the social and economic well-being of the country. As Chinese investors, we believe that it is important to comply with laws of the country, and we also believe in giving back to the community,” said Spuy.

The project is generally regarded as potentially the largest undeveloped lithium-bearing pegmatite in Zimbabwe, covering a surface of about 3,5 square kilometres, which is prospectively for lithium and tantalum.

Lithium is increasingly becoming a key mineral worldwide, with its demand surging for use in the ceramics industry, mobile phone manufacturing, and the making of automotive batteries.