Henrietta Rushwaya appeals to ED to review lithium...

Henrietta Rushwaya appeals to ED to review lithium ore ban

Zimbabwe Miners Federation president Henrietta Rushwaya has written to President Emmersho Mnangagwa asking for a review of the lithium ore ban as it has affected mine viability.

“The unexpected ban has prejudiced standing offtake agreements between miners and international buyers, some of whom had taken loans from their respective countries to trade in these minerals,” Bloomberg has quoted Rushwaya in a letter written to the President.

The miners say they have stockpiled 2-million tonnes of ore since the December 2022 ban.

There are initiatives to develop processing plants in the country..

https://zimbabwenow.co.zw/articles/378/proposed-283bn-chinese-investment-in-industrial-park-latest-high-investment-in-zimbabwe-as-global-lithium-demand-rises

President Mnangagwa last year approved a Chinese investor driven proposal for $2.83bn battery-metals park.

The 30-50km2 battery-metals park which is proposed for Mapinga will include two 300MW power plants to provide electricity to the various refineries.

Slated for completion by the end of 2025, the integrated industrial park will comprise $1bn nickel-sulphate plant, a $500m nickel-chromium alloy smelter, and a $450m lithium-salt plant.