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On the morning of September 25, local time, a groundbreaking ceremony for the Phase II Tantalum and Niobium Recovery Plant project at Bikita Mineral Pvt Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Bikita Minerals”) was held at the Bikita mine site in Zimbabwe. The ceremony was attended by Hon. Polite Kambamura, Zimbabwe’s Minister of Mines; Hon. Ezra Chadzamira, Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Masvingo Province; local traditional chiefs; and a delegation from Sinomine Resource Group Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Sinomine Resource”), including Wang Pingwei, Chairman and President; Wang Zhiwei, Vice President and General Manager of the South-Central Africa Regional Operations Center; and Gong Xuedong, Assistant to the President and General Manager of Bikita Minerals. Together, they witnessed this important milestone.
During the event, the guests toured several facilities and projects under construction at Bikita Minerals, including the flotation plant and cesium processing plant, with particular attention given to the lithium sulfate plant project, which supports the Zimbabwean government’s industrial policy. Project representatives provided the Minister of Mines and the Masvingo Provincial Minister with detailed updates on construction progress and key milestones, demonstrating Sinomine Resource’s commitment to the local processing of lithium resources.
Notably, a business partner of Bikita Minerals will soon begin construction of a supporting 50-megawatt thermal power plant near the lithium sulfate facility, providing a long-term, reliable power supply for its stable operation. This supporting infrastructure marks a further deepening of the Group’s industrial value chain in Zimbabwe and is also expected to benefit local infrastructure development and energy supply. The guests subsequently proceeded to the site of the Phase II Tantalum and Niobium Recovery Plant for the groundbreaking ceremony.
Wang Pingwei delivered the opening address on behalf of Sinomine Resource Group. He expressed his gratitude to the Zimbabwean government, the Masvingo provincial and local governments, and the local communities for their longstanding support. He also outlined the Group’s business presence and future plans in Zimbabwe, reaffirming its commitment to deepening cooperation with local stakeholders in all areas under the principle of “mutual benefit and common development.”
Hon. Ezra Chadzamira expressed his anticipation for the project’s completion and delivery. In his remarks, he noted that the project aligns with Zimbabwe’s national development priorities and demonstrates how investment in mineral processing can transform mining from the extraction of ore into a more comprehensive value chain. The Masvingo Provincial Government will continue to support Sinomine Resource’s investments and operations in the region. He also expressed his hope that the project would create more local jobs and promote economic diversification.
Hon. Polite Kambamura warmly congratulated the company on the commencement of construction. He spoke highly of Sinomine Resource’s continued investment in and strong commitment to the Bikita project, noting that the Zimbabwean government’s policies promoting mineral beneficiation at source and value addition had already delivered initial results, including significant growth in export earnings from the lithium sector. He emphasized that construction of the Phase II tantalum and niobium processing plant is fully aligned with government policy and represents a concrete example of Sinomine Resource’s active response to the government’s call. He urged more lithium producers to follow Bikita’s example by accelerating the development of local processing facilities and jointly advancing Zimbabwe’s mining value chain toward higher-value segments.
The Phase II Tantalum and Niobium Recovery Plant at Bikita Minerals represents another key strategic investment by the Group, aimed at strengthening local mineral processing capacity and extending the value chain for critical metals. The project is designed to process 450,000 tonnes of ore annually and is expected to produce 500–600 tonnes of tantalum and niobium concentrates per year, with commissioning scheduled for 2027.
Leveraging the abundant tantalum and niobium resources at the Bikita mine, the project will employ advanced magnetic separation and shaking-table processes to recover tantalum and niobium concentrates from lithium concentrates. It will further strengthen Sinomine Resource’s integrated development capabilities in the rare metals sector.
