Mali has officially launched operations at the Stage 1 Bougouni lithium project, a major milestone for the country’s growing mining industry. The commissioning ceremony, held on November 3, was led by President General Assimi Goïta and attended by top government officials, including Mines Minister Professor Amadou Keita, regional leaders, and executives from Kodal Minerals and its partner, Hainan Mining.
The Bougouni project, located about 180 km south of Bamako, is operated by Les Mines de Lithium de Bougouni (LMLB), a subsidiary jointly owned by Kodal Mining UK (49%) and Hainan Mining, with the Malian government holding a 35% stake. Since construction began in mid-2024, the project has already produced over 45,000 tonnes of high-grade spodumene concentrate at 5.53% lithium oxide (Li₂O).
With an annual target of 125,000 tonnes at 5.5% Li₂O, the dense media separation (DMS) processing plant will process up to one million tonnes of lithium ore each year. The first export shipment to Hainan’s refinery in China is expected to depart from Côte d’Ivoire’s Port of San Pedro later this month, marking the start of revenue generation for LMLB.
Kodal CEO Bernard Aylward praised the collaboration between Kodal and Hainan, noting that the $65-million project was delivered on schedule and within budget. He highlighted that 95% of the project’s 650-strong workforce are Malian nationals and emphasized the project’s potential to boost Mali’s economy through job creation and export revenues.
With plans underway for Stage 2, which aims to nearly double production, the Bougouni lithium project is set to position Mali as a key player in Africa’s fast-growing lithium sector the “white gold” of the global clean energy transition.
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