zimasset economic blueprint awareness seminar (12-13 march 2014) potential contribution of lithium...
TRANSCRIPT
ZIMASSET ECONOMIC BLUEPRINT AWARENESS SEMINAR (12-13
MARCH 2014)Potential Contribution of Lithium
and Tantalite to Economic Development
1
LITHIUM
• Currently being mined at Bikita Minerals in the district of Masvingo.
• Main mineral is petalite (lithium aluminium tectosilicate [LiAl(Si2O5)2].
• Ore currently undergoes beneficiation at Bikita Minerals as follows:
Primary, secondary and tertiary crushing.Dense medium separation.
2
Lithium contd
Drying and bagging.• Main products exported are :Low alkali petalite Gravel petaliteVitroflux Pollucite
3
Lithium Contd
• Local Markets• Zimglass (Pvt) Ltd – glassmaking• Willsgrove Pottery (Pvt) Ltd – tiles, cups, sinks
and other ceramic products• Regional and International Markets• South Africa, Japan, Malaysia and The
Netherlands.
4
Lithium contd• General UsesLithium-ion batteries used to power : Cell phones Laptops Computers Cars (Hybrid and Electric) Electric bicyclesGlass-makingCeramic products : tiles, cups, sinks bath tubs
etc.
5
Lithium contd• Exports and Revenue : 2013 Overview Quantity exported : 40 933,32t Revenue realised : US$7 609 703,32 Average price : $180/t• Potential Contribution of Lithium Used to make lithium-ion batteries to power cell
phones, laptops, computers, hybrid and electric cars and electric bicycles.
Technology : Not in Zimbabwe but very feasible to produce the Lithium Carbonate [Li2CO3] powder used to make the batteries
6
Lithium contdSet up a processing plant in BulawayoGet the raw materials from Coal - Hwange Lithium – Tin dumps from KamativiOther raw materials(soda ash from Botswana)Acid from ZimphosExport the product to China for the production of
lithium-ion batteriesRepeat for other lithium deposits
7
TANTALITE
DEPOSIT• Tantalum metal (Ta) is a base metal. • Occurs almost always with Niobite and
Columbite.• Dominant host rock for mineable primary
columbite –tantalite deposits, are the granitic rare-metal pegmatites.
8
General Characteristics-Tantulum
• Tantalum is a metallic element extracted (or refined ) from primary and alluvial tantalum mineral deposits.
• It is hard, blue-grey metal with a very high melting point , (approximately 30000C).
• The most important tantulum-niobium mineral is tantalite,(Fe,Mn)Ta2O6.
9
Occurence
• In Zimbabwe, main tantalum ore deposits are in the following areas :
BikitaKamativiMberengewa MutokoBepe Hills – OdziKaroiBindura
10
World Consumption 2009(Estimated)
• 1 015t Ta –Primary raw material including tantalite,columbite,struverite,tin slag,synthetic concentrates.
• 669t Ta-secondary materials (Ta2O5,K2TaF7,scrap)
11
Production-Stages
• Mining-Open pit ,artisanal and small scale mining
• Tantalite mining and the tin-tantalum slag refinery concentrate processors (export to) primary tantalum manufacturers for the processing of tantalum ingots of metallurgical and capacitor grade tantalum distributors
12
Application
• Mainly used to produce ;More than 70% is consumed by electronics
industry-mostly capacitors for laptops , cell phones and computers
ExplosivesSuper alloys and cemented carbides
13
Price Development
• Price in contained tantalum per kilogram (Sources:USGS 2009);
• 1990- $90/kg• 1995- $85/kg• 2000-$ 600/kg• 2001-$1 000/kg• 2005-$100/kg• 2010-$100/kg• *Tantalum Powder ($11 000/kg approx)
14
Economic Contribution• Exports and Revenue : 2013 Overview (Source : MMCZ) Quantity exported : 20.1t Revenue realised : US$2 813 901,62 Average price : $140/t• Potential Contribution of Tantalum• Employment creation (Resuscitation of Kamativi Tin mine and mine
expansion at Sandawana Mine in Mberengwa and creation of service centres on other small deposits)
• New investment in value-addition (production of lithium carbonate and in the long-term –production of lithium batteries)
• Increased revenue streams from export of value-added products)• Possible consolidation of tantalum outputs from different countries
(DRC, Mozambique, Zambia and Namibia) to a conviniently-located processing facility
15