The Bougouni lithium project, operated by UK-based Kodal Minerals and jointly financed with China’s Hainan Mining, has formally started lithium export operations. The first truckloads of spodumene concentrate concentrate left southern Mali for the port of San Pedro, Côte d’Ivoire, where they will be shipped to China.
Commercial phase of the Bougouni Project begins
The Bougouni deposit is located in the Sikasso region of southern Mali and covers a 350 square kilometer concession with high geological potential. Exploitation is initially based on the Ngoualana open pit mine, although the company has multiple drilling programs underway to expand the resource.
With a first export of 30,000 tons and a total of 45,000 tons ready for shipment, Kodal is moving forward with the monetization of its project, having completed the construction of its dense media separation (DMS) plant and the initial processing of the ore extracted from the Ngoualana open pit mine.
The logistical process of inland transportation will take between 4 and 6 weeks to ensure that the material is available at the port for the loading of the first vessel.
Hainan Mining, lithium export partner
The move to commercial export is possible thanks to the financial and strategic backing of China’s Hainan Mining signed in 2023, in which it acquired 51% of the operating subsidiary Kodal Mining UK Limited.
In addition to financing the development, Hainan has an exclusive contract to purchase 100% of the concentrate produced in Bougouni, destined for its processing plant in China, thus ensuring total product placement.
Production target and outlook
The Bougouni DMS plant plant was designed with a capacity of 125,000 tons per year of spodumene concentrate. This initial phase of 45,000 tons represents the start-up of an operation that seeks to position itself as one of the African pillars in the export of lithium, a resource increasingly in demand by the battery and electric vehicle industry.
This is an important milestone for the Bougouni project as the first trucks of spodumene concentrate leave the port of San Pedro for export. Following the successful construction of the dense media separation (DMS) plant and processing of the ore from the Ngoualana open pit mine, we are now in a position to consistently manage the export of the Bougouni spodumene concentrate.
Bernard Aylward, CEO of Kodal Minerals.
According to the company, the first revenues will be booked once the loading of the vessel in San Pedro is completed, in accordance with the sale and purchase agreement with Hainan.
Source: Kodal Minerals
