The Goulamina lithium mine in the southern part of Mali can start mining in August, the portal reported < span>Bamada.
The project was originally funded by the Australian company Leo Lithium, but in 2022 the company withdrew from the project and was acquired by the Chinese company Ganfeng Lithium for AUD 380 million.
As the portal notes, the start of operation of the Goulamina mine, which is expected in August 2024, could have a serious economic impact on Mali, as it involves the creation of several thousand jobs, as during construction of the mine and during its operation. The deposit is expected to contain up to 100 million tonnes of spodumene, a lithium-rich ore that is critical to the production of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles and portable electronic devices.
The tax revenue generated by the project is expected to help improve the country's infrastructure. The opening of the mine will make Mali one of the main producers of lithium in Africa, today the leader is the Democratic Republic of Congo. There are also lithium deposits in Zimbabwe, Niger and Ghana.
The publication notes that lithium mining can also have a negative impact on the environment, especially on water and soil quality, so it is extremely important to take strict environmental measures to reduce minimum potential negative impacts.