{"id":13,"date":"2026-07-23T08:24:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-23T08:24:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/139.84.241.235\/mer\/?page_id=13"},"modified":"2026-07-27T06:03:06","modified_gmt":"2026-07-27T06:03:06","slug":"operations","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/139.84.241.235\/mer\/operations\/","title":{"rendered":"Operations"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>
\n

From emerald frontier to lithium heartland.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Since 1956 Sandawana has been synonymous with the finest emeralds in southern Africa. Under new ownership and after an extensive exploration programme, the mine has strategically pivoted to the mineral that will define this century, lithium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Early indications place over 100 million tons of lithium ore within the mining location, with Phase 1 alone expected to certify at least 26 million tons. Phase 2 exploration is now underway.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The claim area spans 38.82 km\u00b2 on the Mweza mountain range, the largest lithium deposit in Zimbabwe, and one of the most significant in the world.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Operational Life
Cycle<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\t\n\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t01\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIn Progress\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tExploration\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Four-phase JORC-compliant program on Block A, Block B and Bikita claims, upgrading inferred resources to indicated by FY2026.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t

\n\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t02\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tProducing\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOpen-Cast Mining\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Concurrent open-pit operation on the Mweza range. 900,000 tons of ore mined and stockpiled in the last 10 months.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t

\n\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t03\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tUnder Construction\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tConcentration\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

3MT\/annum concentrator on line for December 2027, with a second train scaling feed capacity to 6 million tons per year<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t

\n\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t04\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFY2028\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBeneficiation\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Lithium Sulphate production commencing December 2028, closing the loop from pit to battery-ready chemistry.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<\/section>\n\n\n

\"\"<\/span>
\n

“900,000 tons of ore mined and stockpiled in 10 months, a stockpile valued at approximately US$126M on international markets.”<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Government-licensed exporter under NDS1<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

One Mine.
Five Minerals<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Sandawana lease is a rare polymineralic asset. Beyond its flagship lithium spodumene, the pegmatite hosts a portfolio of associated minerals that unlock long-term optionality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Lithium<\/strong> Primary \u2014 battery-grade spodumene<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Emeralds<\/strong> Legacy resource, small-scale ops resume FY2029<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Tantalite <\/strong> Associated pegmatite mineral<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Gold<\/strong> Claim-area optimisation from FY2029<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Mica<\/strong> By-product from LCT pegmatite<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
    <\/span>
    \n
    \n

    The Five-Year Build-Out.<\/h2><\/span><\/div>
      \n
    1. <\/span>

      FY2026<\/h3>

      Certified JORC report for Block A. ISO 9001 certification. Sustainability framework.<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n

    2. <\/span>

      FY2027<\/h3>

      3MT concentrator commissioned. Mine design defining 50+ MT reserve. ISO 17025.<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n

    3. <\/span>

      FY2028<\/h3>

      Lithium Sulphate plant commissioned. Power plant online. ESG GRI compliance.<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n

    4. <\/span>

      FY2029<\/h3>

      Small-scale emerald mining resumes. Gold claims optimised. ISO 45001.<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n

    5. <\/span>

      FY2030<\/h3>

      $635 per-ton operating cost. 35% EBITDA margin. $10M annual free cashflow.<\/p><\/li>\n<\/ol><\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

      \n

      Building Value.\u2028Empowering a Generation.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      Every ton mined is measured against a wider commitment \u2014 zero harm, ISO-aligned safety, 15\u201325% female representation by FY2029, and community amenities that outlast the ore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
      \n
      \n

      Zero<\/strong><\/p>\nFATALITY TARGET
      <\/cite><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

      \n
      \n

      ISO 45001<\/strong><\/p>\nSafety standard by FY2029<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

      \n
      \n
      \n

      15\u201325%<\/strong><\/p>\nFemale representation FY2029<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

      \n
      \n

      CSR<\/strong><\/p>\nCommunity reinvestment plan<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>

      \"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

      <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      From emerald frontier to lithium heartland. Since 1956 Sandawana has been synonymous with the finest emeralds in southern Africa. Under new ownership and after an extensive exploration programme, the mine has strategically pivoted to the mineral that will define this century, lithium. Early indications place over 100 million tons of lithium ore within the mining location, with Phase […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":41,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-13","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/139.84.241.235\/mer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/13","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/139.84.241.235\/mer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/139.84.241.235\/mer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/139.84.241.235\/mer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/139.84.241.235\/mer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13"}],"version-history":[{"count":26,"href":"http:\/\/139.84.241.235\/mer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/13\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":90,"href":"http:\/\/139.84.241.235\/mer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/13\/revisions\/90"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/139.84.241.235\/mer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/139.84.241.235\/mer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}