Manono-Kitolo mine
| Location | |
|---|---|
  Manono-Kitolo mine | |
| Province | Tanganyika Province |
| Country | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Coordinates | 7°17′46″S 27°25′34″E / 7.296°S 27.426°E |
| Production | |
| Products | Tin Tantalum Niobium Lithium |
| History | |
| Opened | 1915[1] |
| Closed | 1982[2] |
The Manono-Kitolo mine is a former tin and coltan mine, which also contains one of the largest lithium reserves globally, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[3] The mine is located in southern Democratic Republic of the Congo in Tanganyika Province.[3] The Manono-Kitolo mine has reserves amounting to 120 million tonnes of lithium ore grading 0.6% lithium thus resulting 0.72 million tonnes of lithium.[3]
History
[edit]Original mine
[edit]The mine was run by Géomines from 1915 to the mid-1980s, producing 140,000 tons of cassiterite (tin) and 10,000 tons of columbite-tantalite (coltan).[1] Since the mine's closure, companies have focused on the large lithium reserves at the site.[2]
Lithium project
[edit]In 2018 studies reported a significant high-grade lithium deposit, estimated to have the potential of 1.5 billion tons of lithium spodumene hard rock situated in Manono in central DRC. AVZ Minerals, an Australian company, initially claimed to hold a 75% stake in a joint venture with the Congolaise d'Exploitation Minière (25%), a State-owned enterprise.[4][5]
In 2021, AVZ agreed to sell a 24% stake in the venture to the Chinese battery manufacturer CATL for $240 million.[6]
Ownership dispute
[edit]Ownership of the Manono-Kitolo lithium project has become contested. In 2021, Chinese miner Zijin Mining lawfully acquired a 15% stake in Dathcom Mining SA, the project's holding company, from Cominière. AVZ Minerals challenged this sale, initiating legal action which was repeatedly rejected by Congolese courts.[7] In February 2023, the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Ministry of Mines revoked AVZ Minerals' mining permit for the Manono project, citing delays in project development. Subsequently, the rights were awarded to Manono Lithium SAS, a joint venture between Zijin Mining (61%) and state-owned Cominière (39%). One of the main elements of the new mine plan is to refurbish the nearby Mpiana-Mwanga hydropower station to supply energy for mining operations.[8]
Manono tailings project
[edit]As of 2022, Canada-based Tantalex Resources Corporation was seeking to raise funds to reprocess tailings from the historical Manono mine.[9]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b Dewaele, S.; Hulsbosch, N.; Cryns, Y.; Boyce, A.; Burgess, R.; Muchez, Ph. (2016). "Geological setting and timing of the world-class Sn, Nb–Ta and Li mineralization of Manono-Kitotolo (Katanga, Democratic Republic of Congo)". Ore Geology Reviews. 72. Elsevier BV: 373–390. doi:10.1016/j.oregeorev.2015.07.004. ISSN 0169-1368.
- ^ a b Frik Els (2018-12-08). "This Congo project could supply the world with lithium". Mining.com. Retrieved 2022-11-24.
- ^ a b c "Global lithium resources" (PDF). uchile.cl. 2012. Retrieved 2013-07-02.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Rani, Archana (2022-05-05). "DRC issues ministerial decree for Manono lithium-tin project". Mining Technology. Retrieved 2023-03-03.
- ^ "AVZ Minerals Limited". AVZ Minerals Limited. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
- ^ (Fotos), Arsène Mpiana; Hoffmann, Heiner (2023-02-09). "Lithium Bonanza: China Battles West for Raw Material of the Future". Der Spiegel. Retrieved 2023-03-03.
- ^ "Chinese miner Zijin locks horns with Australia's AVZ". South China Morning Post. 2022-05-10. Retrieved 2023-05-04.
- ^ "Zijin Mining's Projects: Manono Lithium Project". Zijin Mining Group. 2023. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
- ^ Whitehouse, David (2022-07-22). "Tantalex plans to raise funds for DRC lithium, tantalum, tin production". The Africa Report.com. Retrieved 2022-11-25.