Premier African Minerals Limited has officially resumed operations at its flagship Zulu Lithium and Tantalum project in Zimbabwe following the successful installation of upgraded flotation section inserts designed to improve lithium recovery and concentrate quality.
In a market update, the AIM-listed mining company confirmed that the plant was restarted on July 6, 2025, after the completion of the new spodumene flotation section. The enhancements are aimed at reducing concentrate retention time in the cleaner section of the flotation circuit—an efficiency gain expected to boost both lithium grade and recovery.
Premier CEO George Roach praised the collaborative effort that led to the restart. “Thanks to the outstanding support we’ve received from each of the OEM suppliers associated with all the plant components—from the mill to the final flotation—we were able to restart the plant late in the afternoon on 6 July 2025,” Roach said.
He explained that initial operations were conducted with limited ore feed to ensure system integrity and integration. Full ore feed from the run-of-mine pad was scheduled to begin on July 7, pending the final curing of sealants on the newly installed units. Commissioning and optimisation of the primary spodumene flotation plant will follow in the coming weeks, with the company planning to release preliminary performance results after validation is complete.
The resumption of operations marks a major milestone for the Zulu project, which Premier African Minerals has positioned as a cornerstone in its broader strategy to tap into rising global demand for battery minerals—particularly lithium, a key component in electric vehicle and energy storage technologies.
The flotation upgrade follows plans announced in October 2024, part of a broader initiative to improve operational efficiency, reduce process losses, and ensure higher-grade lithium output.
Premier African Minerals is focusing its efforts on Zimbabwe and the wider Southern African region, with additional interests in tungsten, rare earths, and gold projects across Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The company continues to pursue a multi-commodity development approach across both greenfield exploration and brownfield development projects.
Listed on the London Stock Exchange’s AIM market under the ticker PREM, Premier also highlighted that the latest operational update contains information classified as “inside information” under the UK’s Market Abuse Regulations. Further updates on the plant’s commissioning and output performance will be provided as the commissioning phase advances.
With the Zulu project back online, Premier African Minerals takes another significant step forward in cementing its role in the global lithium supply chain, contributing to Zimbabwe’s broader vision of becoming a leading exporter of battery-grade minerals.
