London-listed Premier African Minerals has announced that its Zulu lithium and tantalum project in Zimbabwe is slated for full production in January of the coming year.
The company has been addressing production delays, including the installation of a new ball mill scheduled for December.
However, challenges in simultaneously constructing the required civil works for the new mill and maintaining ongoing operations have prompted Premier to consider an early cessation of the current plant operations.
This strategic decision aims to avoid potential delays in reaching the project’s design capacity in the long term.
Consequently, Premier will not be shipping concentrates in November and December. The company has engaged with its offtake and prepayment partner, presenting various options, including the potential for an interim payment of $1.5 million for each month when the product commitment is not met.
Premier emphasizes the significance of timely completion of civil works for meeting medium- and longer-term production goals at full design capacity.
Despite these considerations, normal mining and pit development operations, along with exploration in the wider region, are continuing as usual.
