Trymore Tagwirei
Premier African Minerals Limited has resumed operations at its flagship Zulu Lithium and Tantalum Project in Zimbabwe, marking a major milestone in the country’s push to become a key player in the global battery minerals market.
The mining company, which is listed on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM), a sub-market of the London Stock Exchange (LSE), announced that production restarted on July 6, 2025, following the successful installation of new inserts in the flotation section designed to improve lithium recovery and concentrate grade.
The newly fitted spodumene flotation inserts are expected to reduce retention time in the cleaner circuit, thereby enhancing operational efficiency and throughput.
George Roach, CEO of Premier African Minerals, confirmed the plant restart, attributing the success to strong collaboration with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
“Thanks to the outstanding support from all OEM partners from the mill to the final flotation we were able to restart the plant late in the afternoon on 6 July 2025,” said Roach.
He added that the plant initially operated with limited feed to test integration and performance, with full ore feed from the run-of-mine pad scheduled to begin on July 7, once final sealants had fully cured.
“Commissioning and optimisation of the primary spodumene flotation plant will follow,” Roach noted, adding that early results and further performance updates will be released upon completion of validation tests.
The restart is a crucial step for Premier’s Zulu project, located near Fort Rixon in Zimbabwe’s Matabeleland region. It follows flotation circuit upgrades first announced in October 2024, aimed at improving lithium concentrate quality and reducing processing losses.
Premier African Minerals, whose portfolio includes projects in lithium, tungsten, rare earths, and gold across Zimbabwe and Mozambique, remains committed to its Southern Africa-focused development strategy.
The company trades on the London Stock Exchange’s AIM market under the ticker PREM. It noted that the latest update includes information considered “inside information” under the UK’s Market Abuse Regulation.
The Zulu project is a cornerstone in Zimbabwe’s strategy to tap into rising global demand for lithium a critical material for electric vehicle batteries and energy storage solutions. Premier’s continued investment reinforces Zimbabwe’s growing role in the global clean energy supply chain.
