Kamativi Tin, the awakening giant

The Kamativi Tin Mine which was last operational in 1994 has started its operations and is bringing life to the community of Kamativi in Hwange rural district.

Kamativi Mining Company is a Joint Venture Company which is operated and controlled by a Sichuan PD Technology Group which is a subsidiary of a Chinese Listed entity, Yahua Group.

Speaking with community members recently, the owners revealed that the resuscitation of the mine has already had an impact on the Kamativi community.

‘Roads are being opened, we are seeing a hype of activities already, we are really excited about the resuscitation of the Kamativi mine, in the yester years Kamativi mine was giving fortunes to the community of Hwange,“ said Mlilo Nkosilathi from Kamativi.

Kamativi Mining Company started operations in 2019 and it is focused on lithium exploration, mining and processing within Kamativi.

The company has since commissioned the first phase of a modern lithium processing plant which is processing 1 000 tonnes of raw ore per day. It can produce 50 000 tonnes of lithium.

KMC chief operating officer Dexi Liang said the first small processing plant was now fully running after a two-month test run in November last year.

“We started with a small processing plant and are running in full force,” said Liang.

About 300 people, 50 percent of them locals, have been employed at the KMC while more than 1 000 more jobs have been created by 14 contractors engaged by the investor for various
Local Councillor Joshua Tshuma has applauded the efforts made by the government in bringing back Kamativi mine.

“There is now a hype of activities here in Kamativi, if you look back, roads were not tarred here but KMC has changed the face of Kamativi. We are expecting to see more change in this community, things like more investors. We want to see people investing more in Kamativi,” he said.

Kamativi, is a small town in Matabeleland North. The lives of residents have never been the same since Kamativi Tin Mine shut down operations in 1994. Ancient, dilapidated buildings that had long seen better days are slowly being rehabilitated to form a better Kamativi face.

Hwange district is naturally barren in terms of agriculture but blessed with mineral resources, community members in Hwange are pinning their hopes on minerals found in Hwange when it comes to development.