By Staff Reporter
The newly commissioned Sabi Star lithium mine in Buhera district has set Zimbabwe on an irreversible economic growth trajectory, as it will boost mining output, creating jobs, growing exports and feeding the Mining-to-Energy Park in Mapinga, President Mnangagwa has said.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa presided over the ground-breaking ceremony for the new US$130 million lithium mine on Wednesday, the mine is set to produce 300 000 tonnes of the mineral a year and employ more than 900 Zimbabweans.
The mine is being spearheaded by Max Mind (Zimbabwe) Private Limited.
President Mnangagwa said the new mine will set the country on an economic growth and development path when it commences operations next year.
“This project among others will give further impetus to the overall modernisation, industrialisation and growth of our economy.
Government invites more investors to take up opportunities that abound in the exploration, extraction and beneficiation of our gold, diamonds, lithium, chrome, our platinum group of metals, our nickel, iron, coal and methane gas among others.
“It is pleasing that Maxi Mind (Zimbabwe) plans to set up a unique battery grade lithium plant in Mapinga. This mining project will therefore directly feed into the Mines to Energy Park in Mapinga, which will house a lithium processing plant, marking the inception of a lithium ion battery value chain in Zimbabwe and the region.
“The plant is set to see the company contributing over US$500 million in earnings annually towards the realisation of the US$12 billion mining sector economy by 2030. This single plant in Buhera, in two years’ time, will be earning about US$2 billion,” President Mnangagwa said.
Max Mind has so far injected more than US$22 million, and by July next year it would have injected another $108 million into the mine. Sabi Star Mine has 55 mining claims straddling 3 800 hectares.
President Mnangagwa said the acquisition by Maxi Mind (Zimbabwe) of the Sabi Star lithium claims in September 2021 was the first in a series of deals by investors from China and the United Kingdom.
The Sabi Star lithium mining project is expected to generate employment opportunities for over 300 local employees during the first phase, gradually increasing to 900 employees in addition to numerous indirect jobs during the next phase of development.
President Mnangagwa said companies such as Maxi Mind will be supported in their efforts to increase production and productivity as well as the levels of mineral beneficiation and value addition.