Sinomine Bikita Begins Africa’s First Pollucite Production in Masvingo
MASVINGO – Sinomine Bikita Minerals, Zimbabwe’s largest lithium producer, has begun commercial production of pollucite—an exceptionally rare mineral rich in cesium at its newly completed processing plant in Masvingo Province.
Located at the Bikita site, the facility is expected to yield between 150 and 300 tonnes of pollucite monthly, with global prices averaging US$2 500 per tonne.
This milestone positions Zimbabwe and potentially the entire African continent among the world’s few suppliers of pollucite, advancing the country’s mineral beneficiation strategy.
The development follows Sinomine’s commissioning of spodumene and petalite plants in 2023 under a US$300 million investment.
Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Ezra Chadzamira, toured the facility and hailed its economic significance.
“We are excited that during our routine tour of Sinomine Bikita Minerals, we were able to witness operations in the pollucite processing plant where a new mineral, pollucite, that was recently discovered at the mine, is processed,” he said.
Chadzamira explained that cesium—the key element found in pollucite is used in precision industries such as explosives manufacturing and petroleum extraction.
“The new mineral contains cesium which is an element used to manufacture explosives and is also key in the petroleum extraction industry,” he said.
Pollucite is commercially produced in only a handful of countries, including Canada, Australia and Namibia. With its recent discovery at Bikita Minerals, Zimbabwe now enters this exclusive global group of producers.
“Pollucite is a rare mineral and its discovery at Bikita Minerals is a boon for the national economy because this is the first such discovery in Zimbabwe and the whole of Africa,” Chadzamira said, adding that the plant will produce up to 300 tonnes monthly.
In line with Zimbabwe’s directive to end raw lithium exports by January 2027, Sinomine Bikita Minerals has also begun constructing a US$500 million lithium sulphate plant on site.
“The lithium sulphate plant construction has started at Bikita Minerals and the investment is worth more than US$500 million and will create more jobs while bringing the mining firm closer to production of beneficiated lithium,” Chadzamira said.
In addition to its industrial projects, Sinomine is constructing over 250 staff houses as part of its corporate social responsibility programme aimed at improving local living standards.
Chadzamira also called for reforms to mining taxation laws to sustain foreign direct investment, noting that Sinomine’s continued expansion reflects growing confidence in Zimbabwe’s economic stability and policy direction.
-The Herald
