Business Reporter
Mutapa Energy Resources has announced a breakthrough with the certification of a 39.9-million-tonne lithium resource at its Sandawana project in Zimbabwe.
This milestone not only marks the discovery of a valuable mineral deposit but also makes the project “bankable,” boosting its appeal to international investors and lenders eager to tap into the booming battery minerals market.
The certified resource was confirmed through an independent geological assessment and covers just one-third of Mutapa’s 3,800-hectare mining concession, leaving significant potential for further exploration.
The company’s CEO, Innocent Rukweza, emphasized that about 72% of this resource is classified as measured, giving investors confidence in the quality and reliability of the deposit—a first for a Zimbabwean mine.
To reach this point, Mutapa completed an extensive 11-month drilling program, collecting 33,000 samples and drilling over 103,000 metres at a cost of US$24 million.
The company has already mined two million tonnes of ore and is building a concentrator plant capable of processing three million tonnes yearly to prepare for large-scale production. Infrastructure improvements, including roads and public facilities such as a school and clinic, support the mining operations.
Looking ahead, Mutapa plans to invest an additional US$18 million across two more exploration phases, aiming to expand the resource size to nearly 90 million tonnes by exploring other blocks within the concession. Sandawana is also rich in tantalum and niobium, strategic minerals vital for advanced electronics and manufacturing.
This announcement comes as Zimbabwe seeks to strengthen its mining sector by attracting investment and boosting domestic value addition beyond raw mineral exports. While the certified lithium resource significantly enhances Sandawana’s investment appeal, the project’s success will depend on securing further capital, completing processing infrastructure, and navigating volatile global lithium markets.
