Botswana approves $140 million plant set to become Southern Africa’s first integrated battery minerals complex

Mining chemicals importer Kemcore has secured environmental clearance for a $140 million manufacturing plant in Botswana, clearing a key hurdle as the company moves toward financing and construction.

• Kemcore has obtained environmental clearance for its $140 million mining chemicals plant in Botswana, marking a major step toward project financing and construction.
• The facility will supply critical reagents to copper and cobalt mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia, supporting the fast-growing battery minerals sector.
• With financial close planned for December 2026, construction is set for 2027, and the plant aims to start production in the first half of 2028, reaching 150,000 metric tons annually.
• Kemcore is in advanced talks with regional and local funders, who are keen on the booming critical minerals market without directly investing in mining operations.

The facility is expected to supply copper and cobalt mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia. Kemcore founder and Chief Commercial Officer Calisto Radithipa described the approval as an important milestone for the project.

The company is targeting financial close by December 2026, with construction scheduled to begin in 2027 and initial production expected in the first half of 2028, according to Reuters.

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A new chemicals hub for battery minerals

Kemcore plans to manufacture mining chemicals including sodium metabisulphite, sodium hydrosulphide and sodium isobutyl xanthate. The facility will be developed in phases, with total investment expected to reach about $140 million.

Once fully operational, the plant is projected to produce about 150,000 metric tons of battery-mineral reagents annually.

The project will be built close to sources of key raw materials, including gas, soda ash and salt.

Kemcore is in advanced discussions to secure gas from Botala Energy’s coal-bed methane project. Soda ash and salt will be sourced from the Botash mine, located about 300 kilometres northeast of the planned facility.

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A regional push into mineral processing

The plant will be located within Botala Energy’s planned Leupane Energy Hub and Industrial Park in central Botswana.

Botala is also developing plans for up to 700 megawatts of hybrid gas and solar power generation at the industrial hub.

Kemcore says the facility will become Southern Africa’s first integrated battery minerals chemical complex, positioning Botswana to play a larger role in supplying the chemicals needed to process the region’s growing copper and cobalt production.