According to Mining Network, the British mining company Kodal Minerals recently announced that it has obtained a lithium spodumene concentrate export license from the Malian government, clearing a key hurdle for the export of the first batch of goods from its lithium mine project in Bougouni, southern Mali. This marks the rise of Mali's emerging lithium industry and adds a new important source to the global lithium supply chain. According to the official document signed by the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum of Mali (signed by Professor Amadou Keta, the mining minister), Kodal is authorized to export up to 125,000 tons of lithium spodumene concentrate, and currently only the final administrative procedures need to be completed before the transportation can be initiated. Bernard Aylward, the CEO of Kodal, said: "The granting of the export license is a key step in the development of the Bougouni project and a powerful proof of the vigorous development of Mali's lithium spodumene industry." This license also confirms that the pricing of lithium concentrate will be based on the benchmark price of lithium spodumene of the Shanghai Metal Market (SMM), but the Malian government reserves the right to verify and adjust the price. It is worth noting that Kodal had previously reached an agreement with Hainan Mining, selling all the production from the Bougouni mine to the latter, with the pricing linked to the SMM benchmark. To ensure the smooth export of the first batch of lithium concentrate, Kodal has signed a transportation agreement with the leading logistics operator in Mali and plans to complete the export through the port facilities of neighboring Côte d'Ivoire. The company promises to fully pay the relevant taxes, tariffs, and other levies. The Bougouni lithium mine is located 170 kilometers south of the capital of Mali, Bamako, and is operated by Les Mines de Lithium de Bougouni SA (Kodal holds a 49% stake). The target monthly production of lithium spodumene concentrate is 11,000 tons. This project is Mali's second lithium production project after Ganfeng Lithium's Gualimina Mine (which is scheduled to start production in December 2024), marking the acceleration of Mali's lithium resource development.
The issuance of this export license not only brings direct benefits to Kodal, but also will promote Mali to become an important participant in the global lithium supply chain. Through the cooperation with Hainan Mining, Chinese enterprises will further consolidate their layout in the African lithium resource market, while the Malian government can obtain tax and employment opportunities through resource development, contributing to the diversification of the country's economic development. Kodal stated that with the completion of the final administrative procedures, the first batch of lithium concentrate from the Bougouni project is expected to be dispatched in the short term, providing key raw material support for the global new energy industry. With the explosive growth of the electric vehicle and energy storage industries, the demand for lithium as a core raw material continues to rise, with global lithium consumption increasing by more than 30% in 2024. Mali has the second-largest proven lithium reserves in Africa, and after the commissioning of the Bougouni and Gualimina projects, the annual production capacity is expected to exceed 300,000 tons of lithium concentrate. Chinese enterprises play a key role in the development of lithium resources in Africa, and enterprises such as Hainan Mining ensure the supply of raw materials through investment agreements.
