Zimbabwe celebrates lithium-ion battery breakthrough

ZIMBABWEANS from diverse backgrounds have applauded the progress made so far in adding value to lithium extraction in the country following the successful test run of lithium-ion battery by local entity Verify Engineering.

The country made a major breakthrough in the production of lithium-ion batteries, with Verify Engineering recording zero failures on the product after a year-long test run.

Verify Engineering (Pvt) Ltd, a private limited company wholly owned by the Government, was formed in April 2005 under the auspices of the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development.

Verify Engineering is forging ahead with several innovative research projects that are partly aimed at reducing the raw materials import bill in the production of lithium-ion batteries, among many other products that are made from lithium.

Reacting to the news on the success of the locally produced lithium-ion battery test run, Mr Agrippa Mhundirwa, a local university lecturer, applauded the Second Republic for making progress in adding value to minerals mined locally.

“This is what we have been yearning for a country for a long time. Unfortunately, this has been merely proclaimed with little progress on the ground,” he said.

“Now that we have such initiatives scoring major successes like the successful test run on the lithium-ion battery, we must never look back but leverage on such findings to commercialise the production.

“We really want to thank the Government for that and urge them to spread to other minerals that we have in the country. This is not something that will produce results overnight but the most important thing is that we have started and we are in the right direction.”

Mrs Egenia Sithole, a science teacher at a local high school, said: “Value addition is the way to go.

“We have been talking about this for a long time and it is encouraging to note that we now have progress in that direction.

“What is mostly exciting about the lithium-ion battery test run success is that Verify Engineering has made it clear that they are going on to explore how they can reduce the import bill of raw materials to less than 20 percent.

“This means that Zimbabwe will now be able to produce this crucial product locally. This speaks to reduced prices of the commodity on the local market. It also speaks to more exports and earning the country the much-needed foreign currency.”

Mr Edward Mutaka, a local metallurgy expert, said: “Zimbabwe is endowed with numerous natural resources that can sustain this economy if they are fully exploited.

“This is what we are seeing with this lithium-ion battery’s successful test run. There is no doubt that we have many more of these if we provide financial resources for such initiatives.”

Dr Patricia Machingambi, a university lecturer, said: “There is no country, the world over, that has ever made significant progress while depending on foreign partners or neighbours.

“The mantra that ‘Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo’ is a truism that needs not be taken for granted. We are masters of our destiny. In the same vein, the successful test run on the lithium-ion battery is ample evidence that we can achieve much more in this country is we are really serious about investing in local resources.”

Chief Director Presidential Communications Mr George Charamba took to X and wrote: “VERIFY ENGINEERING LITHIUM BATTERY PRODUCTION: IMPLICATIONS. The Herald story on Zimbabwe’s lithium battery manufacturing is hugely significant for our economy. Here are the figures:

* Lithium ore is selling for US$560/metric tonne internationally

* Battery grade lithium concentrate is averaging US$7 810, there about, internationally

“You can see what value addition does to our critical resource. Verify Engineering, pioneers in Medical Oxygen at the height of Covid-19, have done it again, this time in beneficiating our lithium and making moves towards lithium battery manufacturing. This is a key transition to green energy, meaning the prospects of generalised manufacturing and use of EVs in the country are now enhanced. It also dovetails with the new SI upping export requirements for lithium. The spin-offs to the economy and to the region are huge. Above all, once the country goes on an industrial path and trajectory, the transition and bandwagon effect simply grow by leaps and bounds. Well done Zimbabwe!”

Verify Engineering chief executive Engineer Pedzisai Tapfumaneyi told The Herald that after the lithium-ion battery test run’s success, focus is now on mobilising resources for a giant manufacturing plant.

At least US$28 million is needed to establish a giant lithium-ion battery production plant.

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