Green Mineral Profile

Lithium

Overview

Africa plays a significant role in the global lithium market with key countries including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Mali, Zimbabwe, Ghana, and Namibia holding a combined 4.9 million tons of lithium reserves, which accounts for 6% of the world's total reserves. Among these, Zimbabwe is a notable player, ranking as the seventh largest producer of lithium globally in 2021 with 710 metric tons of production and reserves totaling 310,000 metric tons.

Most of Africa's lithium is exported to China, the leading importer, refiner, and consumer of lithium, which absorbs 70% of lithium compounds for its extensive domestic lithium battery manufacturing industry.

Lithium reserves

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Mali, Zimbabwe, Ghana, and Namibia are the major African countries with lithium reserves. These countries have a combined 4.9 million tons in lithium reserves, which constitute 6% of global lithium reserves.

The top five countries with the largest share of global lithium reserves are Chile (36%); Australia (24%); Argentina (10%); China (8%) and Canada (4%).

Zimbabwe

0 %

Share of global reserves
(310,000 metric tons)

Lithium production

Zimbabwe was the seventh largest producer globally of lithium in 2021, with the production of 710 metric tons (1% of global total) and reserves of 310,000 metric tons (1% of global total).

Zimbabwe

0 %

Share of global production
(710 metric tons)

Major lithium
mining projects

Zimbabwe

The privately owned mine located in southern Zimbabwe in Masvingo Province holds the world’s largest-known lithium deposit at approximately 11 million metric tons. The mine holds 10.8 million metric tons of lithium ore, grading 1.4%, resulting in 0.15 million metric tons of lithium. It has produced a significant source of lithium minerals, including spodumene. Sinomine Resource Group bought the mine for $200 million in 2022.

Arcadia mine is an open pit lithium project near Harare in Zimbabwe developed by Propsect Lithium Zimbabwe (PLZ). In 2022, Prospect Resources sold its 87% interest in Arcadia to a subsidiary of Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt.

The Zulu Lithium and Tantalum Project is Zimbabwe’s largest undeveloped lithium-bearing site and is set to develop a 50,000 ton per-year pilot plant.

DRC

Manono mine is located north of Lubumbashi in the south of the DRC. The project is owned by AVZ (75%) and La Congolaise d’Exploitation Miniere SA (Cominiere, a state-owned enterprise) (25%).

The Manono Tailings Project has a mineral resource estimate of 5.46 million tons of Li₂O at a grade of 0.72%. The project will comprise 11 technogenic deposits and is poised to bring an initial production of 100,000 tons per year of concentrate to the international market by 2025.

South Africa

The Blesberg Project situated in the Northern Cape province has substantial lithium, ranging between 250,000 and 400,000 tons.

Mali

The Goulamina Lithium mine is projected to produce 142.3 million tons of 1.38%-grade lithium oxide.

Ghana

The Eyowaa Lithium Project is expected to become Ghana’s first Lithium producing mine and is expected to yield 35.3 million tons of lithium.

Namibia

The Karabib Lithium Project, estimated to produce 773,000 tons over 14 years, will transport lithium concentrate to a chemical plant in the United Arab Emirates with a production capacity of 56,700 tons per year.

Main export destinations

The majority of Africa’s lithium production is exported to China. China is the world’s largest importer, refiner, and consumer of lithium, purchasing 70% of lithium compounds and supplying 70% of the world’s lithium production, primarily to its domestic lithium battery manufacturers.

Processing capacity and value addition initiatives

Both Zimbabwe and Namibia have implemented bans on the export of unprocessed lithium.

In November 2023, it was reported that UK-listed Andrada Mining had produced its first lithium concentrate from its pilot plant, which was commissioned at its Uis lithium project in Namibia. Andrada expects that the monthly production could reach up to 250t.

In July 2024, it was reported that Chinese mining company Xinfeng Investment (Pty) Limited has completed construction of a lithium processing plant in Namibia.

It was reported in July 2023 that Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe, an arm of Chinese company Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt, had begun operations at a $300 million lithium processing plant in Zimbabwe. The plant has capacity to process 4.5 million metric tons of hard rock lithium into concentrate for export per year. This is the largest lithium processing plant in Zimbabwe.

It was reported that two further lithium processing plants, one developed by Shengxiang Investments and the other by Rwizi Rukuru were under construction in Zimbabwe and would begin production in 2024.

It was reported in October 2023 that Ganfeng Lithium Industry Ltd., a Chinese company, is building a lithium processing plant in the central Nasarawa state, Nigeria with capacity to process 18,000 tons of lithium ore per day.

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Lithium

Overview

Overview

Lithium reserves

Lithium production