JUPITER Lithium, a United Kingdom-based company, has pledged to accelerate Nigeria’s economic diversification by commissioning the country’s first tier-one lithium mining operation. This move aims to help Nigeria reduce its dependence on oil and transition towards a clean energy economy.
Speaking at the recent Africa Downunder conference in Perth, Australia, Jupiter Lithium CEO Andrew White outlined the company’s long-term vision for its Nigeria project. He highlighted the company’s mining licences and approvals, which will allow operations to run for the next 50 years. The project’s goal is to become the world’s lowest-cost producer of hard rock lithium.
‘We have high-grade spodumene, with concentrations between 2.4 percent and 2.6 percent, and we’re able to utilise a simple Dense Media Separation (DMS) process that consumes low power, water, and chemicals,’ White explained.
Transition to a clean energy economy
Jupiter’s lithium project is set to play a critical role in Nigeria’s shift from its historical reliance on oil and gas. According to White, the company’s operations will lay the foundation for an entire lithium value chain in the country, from mining to battery-grade lithium carbonate production.
‘We are delivering the start of the entire lithium value chain in Nigeria with our modular spodumene concentrators, supplying nearby lithium carbonate plants,’ White added.
The project’s location, less than 100 kilometres from Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, benefits from well-established rail and road infrastructure, making transportation efficient.
Key resource estimates and future production
An independent Canadian group has produced an early target resource estimate of 31 metric tonnes for Jupiter based on four identified mineral targets. Jupiter Lithium plans to produce its first concentrate by the second quarter of 2025, which will then be processed locally by Re-element Technologies into lithium carbonate suitable for battery production.
This groundbreaking project is expected to be a catalyst for the development of a vertically integrated lithium industry in Nigeria, positioning the country as a key player in the global clean energy transition.
