Lithium mining brings hope to Kamativi

Zim Now Writer

Kamativi Mining Company, which recently started extracting lithium from the old tin mine, has constructed close to 4km of a new road and is also rehabilitating a 20km stretch on the Cross Dete-Binga Road.

KMC has also gone an extra mile rehabilitating infrastructure in Kamativi to increase production of spodumene concentrate from 1 000 to 6 000 tonnes per annum starting in June.

Kamativi Tin Mine closed in 1994 when the international price of tin plummeted to unsustainable levels.

At that time the tin mine employed about 3 000 workers and still had a lifespan of over 40 years.

For three decades, Kamativi turned into a ghost town as infrastructure that included roads, buildings, water and power facilities were vandalised.

The mine has reopened, now as KMC, a joint venture between Sichuan Pude Technology of China and Zimbabwe Mining Development Company. In its first phase of operations, the mine has made significant strides in restoring infrastructure to its former glory.

KMC has resurfaced a road from the mine's main gate to the cross Dete-Binga road up to the roundabout.

The road that connects from the roundabout to the business centre has also been tarred including the one that passes through the police station to the Transmedia transmitters.

Another tarred section of the road leading to the community hall has been named after Chief Nekatambe as it falls under his jurisdiction.

Work is underway to repair other road stretches. All the road projects were implemented at a time when the company was still doing its pre-mining activities.

KMC tested its equipment between November and December before going full throttle concerning operations early this month.

The biggest project on the road infrastructure is the construction of a new 3,5km road from the Gwayi River mountains past Kamativi. The road branches off the main road from mine.

While the community has reservations about the diversion of the road saying they would now have to walk long distances to catch transport on the highway, the company has assured them that bigger things are in store as work is underway to construct a bus rank within Kamativi, a development that will attract buses branch off into Kamativi.

KMC chief operating officer Dexi Liang said besides upgrading the road network, the company is also reconnecting Kamativi to the national grid and water services.

“In 2023, we opened a 2km road network inside Kamativi from the turn-off to the clinic as a direct gift to the community because we know that it is important to have good roads. This year we have done 3.5km on the main road including the road linking the clinic and St Theresa School.

“On the issue of concerns about the main road, we have met engineers for the design of a bus terminus and we are working together with the local leaders to bring buses into the mine compound. So in short we will be constructing a bus stop where buses in transit will rank,” he said.