PRESIDENT Mnangagwa yesterday commissioned the US$130 million Sabi Star lithium mine in Buhera North, which is expected to enhance the ongoing economic transformation through generating foreign currency and employment creation.
At its peak, the mine is expected to employ over 900 workers largely drawn from Buhera in line with the devolution agenda, and also generate over US$1 billion per year.
The President said the mine was a demonstration of his Government’s continued determination to ensure value addition on its raw materials to create more jobs and generate more money.
“This project, among others, will further give impetus to the overall modernisation, industrialisation and growth of the economy,” said President Mnangagwa.
“To this end, my Government invites more investors to take up opportunities that abound in the exploration, extraction and beneficiation of our gold, diamonds, lithium, chrome, the Platinum Group of Metals, nickel, iron, coal and coal-bed methane gas, among others. Zimbabwe remains open for business.
“As you may recall, in September this year, my administration and Eagle Canyon International Group signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the development of a Mine to Energy Park in Mapinga.”
President Mnangagwa said the Mine to Energy Park investment will contribute to the attainment of a US$12 billion mining industry.
The Mine to Energy Park Project entails the construction of two 300MW power stations, a coking plant, graphite processing plant, nickel-chromium alloys smelter, nickel sulphate plant, lithium salt plant as well as value addition plants to produce batteries, solar panels and other products.
President Mnangagwa said it was pleasing that Max Mind (Private) Limited 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.
“The plant is set to see the company contributing over US$500 million in earnings towards the realisation of the US$12 billion mining sector economy by 2023.”
