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Author: Admin | 2025-04-28
Construction of the Arcadia lithium project was started in December 2018. Image courtesy of Prospect Resources. The Arcadia project holds mineral reserves of 26.9Mt. Image courtesy of Prospect Resources. The Arcadia lithium project near Harare extends over an area of 9km². Image courtesy of Prospect Resources. Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe (PLZ) is developing the Arcadia open-pit lithium project near Harare, Zimbabwe. Prospect Resources holds 87% stake in PLZ, while the remaining interest is free carried to production.The open-pit project, regarded as one of the world’s biggest hard rock lithium resources, was granted the National Project status by the Zimbabwe Government in October 2017.PLZ anticipates producing an average of 212,000 tonnes (t) of 6% spodumene concentrate, 216,000t of petalite concentrate, and 188,000 pounds (lbs) of tantalum per annum from Arcadia. The project is estimated to have a mine life of 12 years.Pre-feasibility study (PFS) of the project was completed in July 2017, while the definitive feasibility study (DFS) was completed in November 2018. The lithium project broke ground in December 2018 and is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2020. It is expected to be commissioned from November 2020.Arcadia open-pit lithium project location, geology, and mineralisationThe Arcadia lithium project is situated approximately 38km east of Harare and extends over an area of 9km².The project hosts greenstone rock units of Arcturus formation, a member of the Harare Greenstone Belt (HGB). It is housed within a series of stacker, petalite-spodumene bearing pegmatities, with an average thickness of 15m, in the HGB. The pegmatities extend up to 2.5km along strike.The mineralisation at the Arcadia deposit is predominantly made up of petalite and spodumene, while the secondary minerals are eucryptite, bikitaite, lepidolite, and tantalite.Arcadia open-pit lithium project reservesThe proven and probable reserves of the Arcadia lithium project are estimated to be 26.9Mt. Contained mineral is estimated to be 351,000 tons of lithium oxide (Li2O) grading 1.31% and 7.6 million pounds (Mlbs) of Ta2O5.Mining and ore processing at Arcadia lithium projectThe Arcadia open-pit lithium project will be developed in two phases. The first includes the construction of the mine and concentrator followed by further expansion in the second phase.Conventional open-pit mining method will be used at the project. The ore will be processed at the 2.4Mtpa processing plant. Mining is proposed to be conducted in six pit phases, along with two satellite pits.ProcessingThe ore will be processed using conventional beneficiation techniques, including gravity-based processes
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