Premier African Minerals Limited has recently made an exciting announcement regarding a new mineral resource estimate (MRE) for its Zulu Lithium and Tantalum Project, revealing significant reserves of approximately 107,000 tonnes of lithium and over 1,000 tonnes of tantalum (pentoxide). This breakthrough underscores the project’s potential to rapidly advance towards the development of a lithium sulphate plant, thereby strengthening Premier’s position in the burgeoning lithium market.
The update, shared with shareholders last week, has sparked optimism about the Zulu project’s capacity to become a cornerstone in the lithium and tantalum sectors. According to Premier’s CEO, George Roach, the MRE is based on a conservative assumption that attributes 80% of the lithium oxide grade to the soil quality index (SQI) dominant style of mineralisation. This cautious approach leaves room for potential increases in the estimate as further analysis of the mineral assemblage progresses, particularly regarding the contained spodumene—a key lithium source.
According to a report by Newsday, Roach further highlighted the project’s prospect for producing premium spodumene concentrates, which are anticipated to fetch higher market prices due to their low iron content and higher spodumene grades. The addition of minor plant modifications could also enable the future production of tantalum pentoxide concentrate, adding another revenue stream for the project.
The assembly of the new ball mill and other plant components at the Zulu site marks a significant step towards resuming production, with operations expected to restart in February 2024. The MRE is the result of comprehensive drilling activities, encompassing 163 drill holes over a total of 33,258 meters, conducted from September 2016 through August 2023. The independent evaluation was performed by Charles Muller of Shango Solutions, reinforcing the project’s credibility and potential impact.
Situated in Zimbabwe, the Zulu project is touted as potentially the largest undeveloped lithium-bearing pegmatite in the region, spanning an area of approximately 3.5 square kilometers. Its rich prospects for lithium and tantalum mineralization position it as a significant player in meeting the growing demand for these critical minerals, essential for the renewable energy and electronics industries.
