Zulu Project

Commodity: Lithium and Tantalum

 
Overview
Premier’s Zulu Lithium and Tantalum Project (“Zulu Project”) is located 80km from Bulawayo in Zimbabwe. The project is generally regarded as potentially the largest undeveloped lithium bearing pegmatite in Zimbabwe. Zulu Project comprises 14 mineral claims covering a surface area of 3.5 km2 which are prospective for lithium and tantalum mineralisation. The Zulu Project is currently advanced with the commissioning and optimisation of a processing plant with the purpose of successfully extracting and exporting SC6 in 2024.

History
The Zulu Project was first pegged in 1955 and intensely explored until the early 1960s. Minor petalite production was reported for 1961 and 1962. The pegmatite bodies intruded along serpentine and sedimentary rocks over a strike length of several kilometres. The width varies between 10 and 25 meters. The bigger pegmatites to the north of the Machakwe River are rich in spodumene and lepidolite, the smaller pegmatites south of the Machakwe River are rich in petalite. The pegmatite bodies strike N20° and dip with 70° to 90° to the west. Parts of the pegmatite are quite rich in tantalite-Mn.
In 1958, O.J. Arnett of Rhodesian Selection Trust (RST) carried out a detailed investigation of the Zulu Project area to establish the extent of the lithium mineralization within the pegmatites.

Resources and Exploration
Mineral Resource development at The Zulu Project:

• The geological model has been developed from extensive drilling, which was undertaken on a nominal 50 m x 50 m drill spacing, as well as similarly spaced surface trenches. Variography indicates that 50 m spacing of the borehole pierce points is sufficient for an Indicated Mineral Resource classification.
• Premier African Minerals Limited is confident that the resource adequately supports the anticipated pilot plant operations.
• 236 surface drill holes totalling 46,355 metres (m)
• 856 grade control holes totalling 5,640 m
• 123 surface trenches totalling 4,055 m

Mineral Resource Statement for Zulu Project – 14th October 2024

Notes

1. Losses: delineated pegmatites contain 80% spodumene – tonnage is reduced by 20% to reflect the mineral assemblage. In addition, geological losses of 5% for Indicated Mineral Resources and 10% for Inferred Mineral Resources have been applied.
2. The MRE is prepared at a 0% cut-off grade as all the spodumene is expected to be recovered.
3. A density of 2.57 g/cm³ has been utilised.
4. A depth cut-off of 300 m below surface has been considered based on cost parameters, although the majority of the pegmatites have only been modelled to a depth of 200 m.
5. The effective date of the MRE is 14 October 2024.
6. The MRE is based on information compiled by the Company and reviewed by Shango and prepared in accordance with JORC and SAMREC. Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and have not demonstrated economic viability.
7. The contained Li₂O and Ta₂O₅ metal values are rounded; actual grades and contained metal are accurately stated and any differences in the totals are due to rounding.

Premier has withdrawn the previous MRE related to Zulu published in 2017 and which has been superseded by the MRE set out in the table above.

Plant
The plant is based on a modular approach and utilises state of the art sensor-based ore sorting technologies that will facilitate the separation of run of mine material into components and in so doing, likely increase available capacity in the flotation recovery circuits, where lithium minerals are recovered. Ultimate production and recoveries are a factor of many variables, and the pilot plant is likely to assist in dealing with these variables due to the inherent flexibility of the use of multiple ore sorters. Stockpiles of tantalum, petalite and Mica/lepidolite rich material will facilitate further test work and flow sheet development to ensure that this material is truly inventory for later profitable recovery.

The pilot plant has a nameplate through put of up to 190 ton per hour, however it is planned to run at a more conservative 140 ton per hour at inception. At this rate and based on a 3-year life of the plant operations only, excluding plant upgrades, tantalum recovery, petalite production and any other revenue, a series of sensitivities indicate a robust project.

Plant layout diagram