In a significant boost for the regional mining sector, Premier African Minerals Limited has confirmed that commissioning activities at its Zulu Lithium and Tantalum Project in Matabeleland South are progressing steadily toward full-scale commercial operations.
The project, situated in the Fort Rixon area, is currently undergoing a rigorous transition from initial testing to active production.
According to the company, the current commissioning programme remains firmly on track for completion during the second quarter of 2026.
Managing director Graham Hill emphasised the precision required for a project of this scale, stating that the company “remains focused on a disciplined and methodical commissioning process at the new flotation plant and associated processing circuits ahead of full commercial operations.”
This cautious, but steady approach follows the successful conclusion of cold and wet commissioning tests, which paved the way for the current phase of “hot commissioning” using actual ore feed.
Technical reports from the site indicate that hot commissioning has already been successfully completed across several critical areas, including the crushing plant, the milling circuit, and the mica flotation plant.
These milestones represent the backbone of the processing facility, ensuring that the raw material can be properly handled before reaching the specialised extraction stages.
A major technical hurdle was cleared recently with the installation and testing of the final major mechanical component for the spodumene flotation plant, which is the plant air blower system.
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This system is vital for the flotation process, which separates valuable lithium-bearing minerals from waste rock.
The plant’s sophisticated “Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) control system has also now been successfully re-commissioned and integrated with the modified flotation plant configuration.”
To ensure the facility can handle the stresses of continuous operation, Premier has conducted extended wet commissioning activities across both new and existing flotation circuits.
By circulating water through the process circuits for prolonged periods, engineers have been able to “confirm plant flow rates and identify and rectify any potential problems” before the introduction of ore.
The final major milestone standing between the Zulu project and its entry into the global lithium market is the hot commissioning of the spodumene flotation section and the subsequent production of saleable spodumene concentrate.
To achieve this, Premier’s engineering team is now working alongside specialists from Xinhai Technology.
These commissioning and optimisation engineers are currently on-site to oversee this final phase of bringing Zulu into production.
As the plant prepares for its final ramp-up, the logistics of the operation are also scaling.
The company confirmed that its mining contractor is “ready to mobilise additional mining equipment in order to meet the anticipated ore feed demand requirements associated with planned plant operations.”
The progress at Zulu is being watched closely by international investors and local stakeholders alike.
By maintaining its Q2 2026 guidance, Premier African Minerals is positioning the Fort Rixon operation as a key player in Zimbabwe’s burgeoning lithium sector, a development essential for the nation’s economic aspirations in the green energy transition.
With the milling circuit and mica flotation already operational on ore, the focus now shifts entirely to the spodumene sec
