By McGeorge Mbare
Bikita Minerals, Zimbabwe’s largest lithium mine owned by Sinomine Resource Group, has issued a shutdown notice to its mining contractors, including stripping and blasting service providers Hocean, Kinsey, Auxin, and KW, citing challenging market conditions in the lithium industry.
According to an internal memo, the Dense Media Separation (DMS) plant at Bikita Minerals is set to cease operations starting October 2024.
The notice indicates that the aforementioned contractors must make necessary adjustments in response to the production needs, leading to the suspension of mining activities.KW, the primary contractor responsible for drilling and blasting, and Kinsey, which handles load and haul operations, have both halted their activities in light of the shutdown.
Meanwhile, Auxin has been directed to reduce its productivity levels and withdraw personnel and equipment to align with the anticipated decrease in tonnage.The memo further states that any plans for the resumption of production will be announced by the Bikita Minerals department at a later date.
This decision comes on the heels of a temporary shutdown earlier in 2023, when Bikita Minerals cited administrative concerns as the reason for halting operations.
As the lithium market faces volatility, the implications of this shutdown on local employment and the broader mining sector remain to be seen, leaving stakeholders in the industry concerned about the future of lithium production in Zimbabwe.