More than 100 families at Sandawana Mine in Mberengwa, Midlands Province, are set to be relocated to make way for a US$300 million lithium processing plant.
Mutapa Energy Resources Chief Executive Officer Innocent Rukweza said seven model houses had already been constructed and had received the backing of traditional leaders and government stakeholders.
The company is targeting the end of September to complete the remaining houses and relocate all affected families from the area earmarked for the plant.
“We are targeting September 20 to about the end of September to finalise all the 104 houses. Thereupon we will relocate all the families that are involved,” Rukweza said.
Each family will receive a four-roomed house with a kitchen and ablution facilities at an estimated cost of US$28,000 per household, Rukweza said.
The company also said it will fence the new settlements and provide water infrastructure.
Construction of the plant is expected to start before the end of September, with commissioning of the lithium concentrator targeted for November 2027.
More than 52 graves located within the proposed plant site must also be exhumed before land clearing begins.
Mutapa expects to start the process around 1 September, subject to the completion of outstanding burial orders.
