L. Fituni, I. Abramova Resource Potential of Africa and Russia's ...

Lithium producers in Africa include Zimbabwe, South Africa
and Namibia. The peak production years were in mid-1980s. And in
the case of Zimbabwe even earlier in the days of self-proclaimed
independent Rhodesia. Bikita Minerals was the dominant source of
lithium minerals for direct use in glass, glass ceramics and enamels
because of the low iron content of the minerals. The deposit has an
exceptionally high grade and comprises a classic zoned pegmatite at
its southern end passing northwards into a complex mixture of
petalite, quartz-spodumene intergrowth and small quantities of
eucryptite. Currently, the different minerals are separated by a heavy
medium system with stockpiles of undersized material from earlier
picking as the principal source.
Proved, probable and possible resources (grading 1.4% Li) were
estimated by the Panel at 56,700 tons Li. There is considerable upside
potential in this figure and numerous petalite-containing pegmatites
are known in Zimbabwe and there is no published data on
reserves at the large Kamitivi tin-spodumene deposit located in the
northwest of the country.
In DRC, the largest known lithium-containing pegmatites occur
in the vicinity of Manono. Each of a pair has a length of 5,000 meters
and a width of approximately 400 meters. The weathered zone
has been worked for tin and columbite. Assuming a depth of only 50
metres the pegmatites could contain 2.3 million tonnes of Li. 25
Diamonds. Basic parameters of the Russian and global mineral
resource bases of diamonds are approximately the same. At the same
time, the reserves production/additions ratio and shift in the reserves
structure towards underground mining are evidence of certain negative
trends that may entail a serious deterioration in the economy of
the Russian diamond mining industry.
Two main (optimum and negative) scenarios are forecast for the
development of the mineral resource base in the short term (up to
2012) and long term (up to 2025).
The optimum scenario for the period until 2012 calls for discovery
of at least one new large primary diamond deposit in Yakutia
with reserves of no less than 380 million carats and the beginning of
underground mining of the Udachnaya pipe deposit. Under the nega-
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