Sandawana lithium resource certified at 39.9m tonnes, Mutapa says

Sandawana lithium resource certified at 39.9m tonnes, Mutapa says

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Mutapa Energy Resources says it has secured an independently certified mineral resource estimate of 39.9 million tonnes of lithium-bearing ore at Sandawana Mine in Mberengwa, a development it says strengthens Zimbabwe’s drive to become a global battery minerals hub.

The announcement, made in Harare, states the estimate is compliant with the Joint Ore Reserves Committee (JORC) Code, an international reporting standard that is widely used by investors and financiers to assess the quality and reliability of mineral resources.

Mutapa Energy Resources chief executive officer Mr Innocent Rukweza said the certification is a key milestone for the company and for the mining sector, particularly because of the level of confidence reflected in the classification of the resource.

“It is my singular honour to announce that we are, from the best of our knowledge, we are the first Zimbabwean mine with measured resources which constitute 72 percent of our total resource,” said Mr Rukweza.

According to the company, the 39.9 million-tonne resource includes 28.7 million tonnes, representing 72 percent, in the highest-confidence “Measured” category. Mr Rukweza said this makes the project more attractive to investors and lenders because the resource is supported by extensive sampling and drilling.

“It means that it becomes bankable,” he said, adding that the estimate was compiled and validated by a competent person under JORC requirements.

The certified estimate covers only Block A, which accounts for about 30 percent of Sandawana’s 3 800-hectare mining claims, with the remaining 70 percent (Blocks B and C) still largely unexplored. Mutapa says this leaves room for the resource base to expand as further work is completed.

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The company said the certification followed an 11-month exploration programme involving 103 000 metres of drilling and 33 000 samples, at a cost of US$24 million. It also said it plans to invest a further US$18 million in additional drilling and resource upgrades, as it targets increasing the resource to as much as 90 million tonnes.

“It is our hope that we want to upgrade our resource from the current 39,9 or 40 million to get to up to 90 million, if possible, from the results that we are going to get. And this is just on Block A,” Mr Rukweza said.

Sandawana, located in Mberengwa District in the Midlands Province, has a mining history dating back to 1955 when emerald production began. The mine was historically a major emerald producer for about four decades before operations were suspended in 2010 due to working capital challenges and declining emerald resources. It is now being revived as a lithium and tantalite operation by Mutapa Energy Resources, a subsidiary of Mutapa Investment Fund.

Mutapa said it has already mined about two million tonnes of ore and is constructing a three-million-tonne-per-annum concentrator plant, as Zimbabwe pursues mineral beneficiation and value addition in the lithium sector.

The company also reported that supporting infrastructure is being developed, including roads, the relocation of 104 families, and construction of a school and clinic linked to the mine’s expansion.

In addition to lithium, Mutapa said exploration has confirmed economically recoverable by-products including tantalum and niobium, which are used in high-tech and industrial applications and may enhance the project’s long-term value.

Globally, lithium prices have fallen sharply from 2022 highs amid slower growth in electric vehicle demand, but Zimbabwe continues to position itself as a key supplier of battery minerals. Government has repeatedly encouraged miners to accelerate processing and beneficiation, with President Emmerson Mnangagwa emphasising value addition supported by local science, technology and innovation.

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