Global firm hired for Arcadia Lithium project
AUSTRALIA-listed junior miner, Prospect Resources, has appointed global engineering firm DRA to provide engineering services and upfront design for its Arcadia Lithium project.
In February, Prospect Resources announced that it had raised $10 million in capital through a private placement that was oversubscribed for the development of its Arcadia Lithium Project in Harare. Yesterday, Prospect said the project represents a globally significant hard rock lithium resource.
“Prospect Resources is pleased to announce that it has appointed global engineering firm, DRA, to provide engineering services and upfront design for their flagship Arcadia Lithium Project, located 38 kilometres east of Harare, Zimbabwe,” it said.
Work on the project is expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2019. The process plant will produce saleable lithium concentrate of both spodumene and petalite.
“We believe that DRA is the perfect partner for Prospect to align with on the Arcadia Lithium Project.
“Their broad capabilities, 15-year track record in gold, platinum, diamonds and lithium in Zimbabwe and team of highly skilled engineers and designers provide an invaluable service offering to Prospect Resources Limited,” the firm’s executive director, Mr Harry Greaves, said.
The project began with engineering planning, design and scope clarification, which will culminate in a baseline document for the project.
Certain long lead time items have been ordered with additional equipment orders due to be issued imminently. Site preparations have commenced including land clearing in preparation for the pre-stripping to get under way and for the tailings dam to be built.
DRA senior vice president for origination, Mr Paul Howard added: “Our historical relationship with Prospect’s management team makes DRA a logical fit for the Arcadia Lithium project and one which we are excited to be a part of.
“It is DRA’s future expectation to assist in battery mineral projects, which will help develop sustainable battery powered transport solutions, and contribute to a greener environment. This will be particularly positive when it comes to the reduction of greenhouse gasses.”
Prospect is a southern Africa focused lithium and gold mining and exploration company based in Perth, Australia, with operations in Zimbabwe. The company also operates Sally Gold Mine and Prestwood Gold Mine, located in Gwanda. Government has granted the Arcadia Lithium Project a National Project Status in support of the development of the mine envisa, ged to create hundreds of jobs directly and thousands others across the downstream industry. THE Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) and the European Union (EU) have signed a €15 million deal to facilitate cross-border trade within the region.
The deal was penned recently at the Mwami Border post between Zambia and Malawi. The programme is financed under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) meant to increase formal small-scale cross-border trade flows in the Comesa region.
“It will support governance reforms, institutional capacity building, improved border infrastructures and better data collection and monitoring. Ultimately, it will result in higher revenue collection for governments at the borders and higher incomes for small-scale cross-border traders,” said Comesa.
It is hoped the programme will help curb corruption levels, bribery and harassment experienced by small-scale traders. It will also ensure that crossborder traders associations (CBTAs) and similar business associations in targeted countries have their capacities reinforced in a sustainable way to effectively defend the interests of their members and deliver appropriate support services. According to Comesa the signing of the agreement heralds the beginning of implementation of the planned activities at the border areas in the Comesa region.
“The beneficiaries are primarily small-scale traders, in particular women traders, that regularly cross the borders in the region to sell and buy goods, as well as the associations who represent them and defend their interests,” it said.
Under the programme, gender disaggregated statistical data and analysis on small-scale crossborder trade shall be systematically collected, compiled, harmonised and disseminated.
“The aim is to increase evidence-based knowledge on the topic and inform better trade policy-making processes at national and regional level as well as ensuring that adequate and gender sensitive basic border infrastructures for small-scale traders are built at selected border areas,” said Comesa. —@ thandyfeminine