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Recently, Masvingo Lithium Technology Private Company Limited, a subsidiary of Sinomine Resource Group Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Sinomine Resource”), officially obtained the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) certificate issued by Zimbabwe's Environmental Management Agency (EMA). The 100,000-tonne-per-year lithium sulfate project has now officially transitioned from the preparatory stage to full-scale construction and implementation.
Construction activities are currently progressing steadily in accordance with the established schedule. China Railway No. 9 Engineering Group has completed mobilization for the civil works package, while Shandong Dadi has completed mobilization for the equipment installation package. The on-site construction management and organizational framework is now largely in place, with civil works, equipment installation, and related supporting facilities to be rolled out in succession. According to the overall project schedule, the project is expected to be completed and commissioned in mid-2027.
The project represents a major initiative by Sinomine Resource to implement its global new energy industry development strategy and advance the deep processing of Zimbabwe's lithium resources and the extension of the local value chain. Upon completion, the project will leverage Zimbabwe's abundant lithium resources to enable localized deep processing and higher-value utilization, further enhance resource value, and support the transformation of Zimbabwe's lithium industry from resource development toward materials manufacturing. It will also help convert the country's resource advantages into industrial and economic advantages.
Once operational, the project is expected to significantly improve the efficiency of the company's value chain while substantially reducing overall logistics costs. By locating downstream processing facilities close to the source of raw materials, the project will greatly reduce the long-distance transportation of ore and intermediate products. Related logistics costs are expected to decrease by as much as five-sixths, further optimizing the project's cost structure and enhancing market competitiveness. Meanwhile, under Zimbabwe's current mining and industrial development policies, deep-processed products such as lithium sulfate enjoy relatively favorable treatment at the export stage. Compared with raw ore and certain intermediate products, the project's overall tax burden is expected to decline by more than 10%. The combined optimization of logistics and tax costs will further strengthen the project's profitability and resilience, laying a solid foundation for long-term and stable operations.
The full-scale launch of construction marks a new stage in Sinomine Resource's development of lithium resources and deep processing operations in Zimbabwe. Going forward, the company will continue to strengthen project construction management and strictly implement requirements for production safety, quality control, environmental protection, and schedule management. It will advance construction to high standards and with a strong focus on quality to ensure the project is completed and commissioned on schedule. At the same time, Sinomine Resource will actively uphold ESG principles, pursue green development and mutually beneficial cooperation, and remain committed to sustainable development by promoting local employment, talent development, and community benefit-sharing. Through these efforts, the company will fulfill its corporate social responsibilities, contribute to Zimbabwe's industrial upgrading, economic transformation, and new energy industry development, and further deepen practical cooperation between China and Zimbabwe in the fields of new energy and mineral resources.
