Zimbabwe’s Sandawana breaks ground on US$330m lithium plant ahead of export ban
ZIMBABWE’S State-owned mining company Mutapa Energy Resources (MER) has begun clearing land for a US$330 million lithium processing plant at Sandawana, Midlands Province. The move is aimed at accelerating efforts to process the mineral essential in battery manufacturing locally ahead of tighter restrictions on raw concentrate exports next month. The development emerged during a parliamentary portfolio committee visit to the mine on Wednesday, when MER chief executive Innocent Rukweza outlined the investment plans, infrastructure works and policy challenges facing the project. Rukweza told legislators that Sandawana needed stronger policy and institutional support to compete with foreign-owned producers and ensure Zimbabwe captures greater economic value from its lithium resources. The pro…