Li
Li₂O Grade
6.0%
SC6 Battery Grade
⚡
Li₂O Grade4.0–6.0% Li₂O
🌍
OriginsTanzania · Zimbabwe
🔋
Primary UseEV Batteries · Energy Storage
Home› Concentrates› Lithium Concentrates
Spodumene Ore · Tanzania & Zimbabwe · EV Battery Feedstock

Lithium
Concentrates

The mineral that powers the energy transition. Mined from East Africa's premier hard-rock lithium pegmatites.

United Metals produces and trades spodumene concentrates from Tanzania and Zimbabwe — two of Africa's most significant lithium pegmatite provinces, delivering battery-grade and technical-grade material to lithium chemical converters, battery cathode manufacturers, and energy storage supply chains across Asia, Europe, and North America.

3
Li
Lithium
6.941
MineralSpodumene (LiAlSi₂O₆)
DepositsTanzania · Zimbabwe
Grade TargetSC4 · SC6 · Technical
DownstreamLiOH · Li₂CO₃ · Batteries
Li₂O Grade
4–6%
Li₂O content in saleable spodumene concentrate
Battery Grade
SC6
6% Li₂O spodumene — the benchmark battery feedstock
EV Demand CAGR
0%
Projected lithium demand growth through 2030 — EV driven
Africa's Share
9%+
Of global lithium reserves — rapidly growing supply region
Lightest Metal
0.53 g/cm³
Lithium's density — the lightest of all solid elements
Product Overview

What Is Lithium
Concentrate?

Lithium concentrate — specifically, spodumene concentrate — is a beneficiated, high-Li₂O-content material produced by separating the mineral spodumene (LiAlSi₂O₆) from the surrounding pegmatite gangue through crushing, dense-media separation (DMS), and flotation techniques. Spodumene is the dominant commercial lithium ore mineral in hard-rock operations, and the concentrate it produces is the critical upstream feedstock for the global battery-grade lithium chemical industry.

The defining quality parameter for spodumene concentrate is its Li₂O grade — which determines the lithium chemical yield achievable by downstream converters. The international market benchmark is SC6 (6% Li₂O), used directly in rotary kiln decrepitation and acid-roast conversion to lithium hydroxide (LiOH·H₂O) or lithium carbonate (Li₂CO₃). SC4 (4% Li₂O) serves lower-grade technical markets. United Metals' operations in Tanzania and Zimbabwe target SC5 to SC6 grade at 5–6% Li₂O, meeting battery-supply-chain quality thresholds.

Lithium is the defining mineral of the 21st century's energy transition — it is the electrochemically active metal in every lithium-ion battery, from consumer electronics to the electric vehicle batteries that are reshaping global transport. Without spodumene concentrate, the lithium chemical converters supplying LiOH and Li₂CO₃ to battery cathode manufacturers simply could not operate at scale.

Ore Classification

Three Spodumene Grades,
Three Downstream Routes

Spodumene concentrate is commercially classified by Li₂O grade into three specification tiers, each with distinct conversion chemistry, converter preferences, and price structures. United Metals supplies across the battery-grade and technical-grade spectrum from both Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

I
Grade 01 · Premium
SC6 Battery Grade
6.0% Li₂O
The benchmark specification — Li₂O ≥ 6.0%, Fe₂O₃ ≤ 1.0%, and strict limits on Na, K, Ca, and P impurities — used directly by lithium chemical converters to produce battery-grade LiOH·H₂O and Li₂CO₃ for EV cathode active material manufacturing. SC6 commands the highest price and is required by most major converter offtake agreements. United Metals' pegmatite operations in Tanzania (Kagera Belt) and Zimbabwe (Bikita/Kamativi) deliver this specification from high-purity spodumene seams.
Li₂O ≥ 6.0%
LiOH Conversion
NMC / LFP Cathode
EV Batteries
II
Grade 02 · Standard
SC5 Mid-Grade
5.0% Li₂O
Mid-grade spodumene at 4.8–5.4% Li₂O serves converters with blending capability or alternative acid-roast circuits tolerant of lower feed grades. SC5 is accepted by some Asian converters at a discounted price and can also be upgraded through additional flotation cleaning to reach SC6 specification. Also suitable as a glass and ceramics additive for reduced thermal expansion applications, where exact Li₂O grade is less critical than purity of the mineral fraction.
Li₂O 4.8–5.4%
Blending Feed
Li₂CO₃ Route
Glass Ceramics
III
Grade 03 · Technical
SC4 Technical
4.0% Li₂O
Technical-grade spodumene at 3.8–4.2% Li₂O serves industrial markets where lithium's unique properties — low thermal expansion, flux activity, high heat capacity — are exploited without the purity demands of battery chemical conversion. Primary markets include glass and ceramic manufacturing (Corning-type borosilicates, flat glass, sanitary ware), aluminium smelting flux additions, and specialty lubricants. Lower Li₂O content reflects either lower-grade ore zones or blended material from mine processing.
Li₂O 3.8–4.2%
Glass Frit
Ceramics
Al Flux
Origin Advantage

Tanzania & Zimbabwe's
Supply Advantage

Tanzania's Kagera Belt and the Mbeya lithium corridor host a series of LCT-type (lithium-caesium-tantalum) granitic pegmatites formed during late-stage Pan-African orogenic magmatism, approximately 500–560 million years ago. These pegmatites contain primary spodumene lenses of exceptional purity and significant thickness — comparable in chemistry to leading Australian hard-rock operations but with substantially lower development-stage competition and emerging infrastructure.

Zimbabwe's Bikita and Kamativi fields are among Africa's oldest-known lithium pegmatite districts, first exploited for petalite and lepidolite in the 1950s. The revival of hard-rock lithium extraction at these deposits, combined with improved flotation technology capable of recovering spodumene from complex polylithionite-bearing ore, positions Zimbabwe as a significant emerging producer of spodumene concentrate. United Metals' Zimbabwe operations exploit these proven lithium-bearing pegmatite bodies with modern beneficiation circuits.

Advantage 01
High-Purity Spodumene Chemistry
Tanzania and Zimbabwe pegmatites deliver spodumene with low iron contamination (Fe₂O₃ < 0.8%) and minimal quartz inclusions — critical for achieving SC6 Li₂O grade at acceptable Fe penalties, commanding premium pricing in Asian converter markets.
Advantage 02
Non-Australian Diversification
Australia supplies over 50% of global spodumene concentrate — buyers, particularly in Europe and North America, are actively building African supply into their battery supply chains to reduce single-jurisdiction concentration risk and improve ESG sourcing narratives.
Advantage 03
Critical Mineral Designation
Lithium is designated a critical mineral by the US, EU, UK, and Japan — attracting preferential trade treatment, offtake support mechanisms, and supply-chain investment incentives for African producers supplying allied economies seeking to reduce China dependency in battery materials.
Advantage 04
Integrated Operations
United Metals manages the full chain from pegmatite mine to port export — processing, assay certification, provenance documentation, and bonded logistics all controlled in-house, reducing counterparty risk and providing full supply-chain traceability for battery manufacturers' ESG reporting.
Typical SC6 Concentrate Composition
Li₂O6.0%
SiO₂65%
Al₂O₃27%
Fe₂O₃<1%
SC6 Grade
Battery-Grade Spodumene Benchmark
SC6 at 6% Li₂O is the global benchmark for lithium chemical converters — enabling LiOH yields of ~45 kg per tonne of concentrate processed
Full Specifications
Li₂O
4.0–6.0%
Grade Tiers
SC4 · SC5 · SC6
Fe₂O₃
≤1.0% (SC6)
SiO₂
60–68%
Al₂O₃
24–28%
Na₂O + K₂O
≤0.5%
CaO + MgO
≤0.3%
P₂O₅
≤0.05%
Moisture
≤8%
Size
-6 mm to -150 µm
Delivery
Bulk · CIF / FOB
Origins
Tanzania · Zimbabwe
Pricing
Benchmark / spot
Key End-Use Markets
Lithium Hydroxide (LiOH) — NMC, NCA cathode for EV batteries
Lithium Carbonate (Li₂CO₃) — LFP cathode & energy storage
Grid Energy Storage — Stationary battery systems
Glass & Ceramics — Low-expansion glass, sanitary ware
Lubricating Greases — Lithium-complex grease base stock
Lithium Concentrate Enquiry
Source Geology

The Pegmatite Belts
of East Africa

Tanzania's lithium pegmatites are hosted within the Kagera Tectonic Belt and the Ubendian-Usagaran Mobile Belt — Pan-African orogenic terranes formed during collision tectonics approximately 500–560 million years ago. The LCT-type granitic pegmatites of this region crystallised from highly fractionated, late-stage granitic melts enriched in lithium, caesium, and tantalum. Spodumene-bearing pegmatite lenses occur as steeply-dipping tabular bodies intruded into metamorphic host rocks, with individual lenses measuring up to several hundred metres in strike length and displaying consistent Li₂O grades along dip.

Zimbabwe's Bikita Pegmatite Field — located in Masvingo Province — is one of Africa's oldest-known commercially worked lithium pegmatite districts. The Bikita pegmatite is a composite body exceeding 4 km in strike, containing a suite of lithium minerals including spodumene, petalite, lepidolite, and lithian muscovite in different mineralogical zones. The Kamativi lithium field in Matabeleland North constitutes a separate pegmatite swarm within the Magondi Belt, hosting significant spodumene resources under active evaluation. Both Zimbabwean fields are undergoing modern re-assessment and production ramp-up using contemporary flotation technology.

4km+
Strike length of Bikita pegmatite — Zimbabwe's main lithium body
560Ma
Age of Pan-African pegmatite emplacement in Tanzania
LCT Type
Pegmatite classification — Li-Cs-Ta enriched — highest commercial value
2 Nations
Tanzania & Zimbabwe — dual-origin supply providing chain resilience
Spodumene Pegmatite Cross-Section
SURFACE METAMORPHIC HOST METAMORPHIC HOST OUTER ZONE · QTZ-FELDSPAR INTERMEDIATE ZONE SPODUMENE · QTZ · FELDSPAR SPODUMENE LENS A SPODUMENE LENS B CORE · PETALITE/LEPIDOLITE 6.0% Li₂O 5.2% Li₂O ARCHEAN BASEMENT GNEISS DEPTH ~80 m
LCT-type granitic pegmatite cross-section showing spodumene-bearing intermediate zone lenses crystallised from late-stage fractionated melt — typical of Tanzania's Kagera Belt and Zimbabwe's Bikita / Kamativi fields.
Beneficiation Process

Spodumene
Beneficiation Route

From ROM pegmatite ore to a clean, high-Li₂O spodumene concentrate — hard-rock lithium beneficiation uses a staged circuit of crushing, dense-media separation (DMS), and reverse flotation to achieve SC6 purity, with strict impurity controls on iron, sodium, and calcium that determine battery-grade acceptance.

01
Stage 01
Crushing & Screening
ROM pegmatite ore — typically mined by open-cut bench blasting or underground development drives — is primary jaw-crushed to <150 mm, then secondary cone-crushed to <25 mm. Screening at 6 mm, 2 mm produces coarse and fine fractions processed in parallel DMS circuits. Spodumene's brittleness relative to quartz allows controlled liberation at moderate reduction ratios without over-grinding — minimising fines losses from the valuable mineral fraction.
Top size: 6 mm · Primary + secondary crush
02
Stage 02
Dense Media Separation
Spodumene's specific gravity (3.1–3.2 g/cm³) versus quartz-feldspar gangue (2.6–2.65 g/cm³) provides a SG differential of ~0.5 — sufficient for effective DMS using ferrosilicon suspension at a cut density of 2.85–2.90 g/cm³. Coarse spodumene reports to the sink product whilst quartz, feldspar, and low-density silicates report to float. DMS drums and cyclones in series achieve high mass recovery with Li₂O upgrading from 1–1.5% ROM feed to 3.5–5% pre-concentrate in a single pass.
DMS cut: 2.85–2.90 g/cm³
03
Stage 03
Flotation & Impurity Removal
DMS pre-concentrate is ground to <150 µm for flotation. Reverse flotation using amine collectors selectively floats iron-bearing minerals (biotite, muscovite, iron oxides) as the froth product, leaving spodumene in the pulp. A second flotation stage removes residual feldspar using HF conditioning at controlled pH. The combination lifts Li₂O from ~4.5% to the target 5.5–6.0% SC6 grade whilst reducing Fe₂O₃ to ≤0.8% — meeting converter specification for battery-grade chemical production.
Target: Li₂O ≥ 6.0%, Fe₂O₃ ≤ 1.0%
04
Stage 04
Thickening, Drying & Export
Final concentrate is thickened and vacuum-filtered to ≤8% moisture for bulk handling. Full multi-element XRF analysis — reporting Li₂O, SiO₂, Al₂O₃, Fe₂O₃, Na₂O, K₂O, CaO, MgO, and P₂O₅ — is conducted on each parcel before an independent assay certificate is issued. Material from Tanzania is trucked to Dar es Salaam port; Zimbabwe production transits Beira Corridor to Beira — with United Metals managing all freight, bonded logistics, and documentary requirements from processing plant gate to converter discharge port.
Moisture ≤8% · FOB Dar es Salaam / Beira
End-Use Markets

Three Industries.
One Critical Element.

Spodumene concentrate feeds three distinct downstream value chains — battery chemical conversion, industrial glass and ceramics, and specialty lubricant manufacture — each demanding different grade specifications and processing chemistry from the same ore mineral.

75%
Sector 01 · Dominant
Battery Chemicals & EVs
Approximately 75% of all spodumene concentrate produced globally is calcined and acid-roasted to produce lithium hydroxide monohydrate (LiOH·H₂O) or lithium carbonate (Li₂CO₃) — the two primary lithium chemicals used in battery cathode active material synthesis. LiOH is preferred for high-nickel NMC and NCA cathodes (used in premium EV batteries) due to its lower water content and reactivity advantages; Li₂CO₃ serves LFP (lithium iron phosphate) cathode production and lower-energy applications.

Global lithium demand is projected to grow at 20–25% CAGR through 2030, driven overwhelmingly by EV battery production. Each 100 kWh EV battery pack requires approximately 7–9 kg of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) — translating to roughly 55–70 kg of SC6 spodumene concentrate per vehicle.
~75% of spodumene demand · NMC / NCA / LFP cathode
15%
Sector 02 · Industrial
Glass & Ceramics
Lithium's unique property of reducing the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) in glass and ceramic bodies makes spodumene and its calcined derivative β-spodumene (a low-expansion stuffed silica) indispensable in high-performance glass formulations. Applications include Corning-type glass-ceramic cooktop panels (virtually zero expansion), flat glass strengthening for display screens, sanitary ware (bathroom ceramics), speciality borosilicates used in laboratory glassware, and low-expansion kiln furniture.

The glass and ceramics industry has used lithium minerals for over a century and represents a stable, less price-volatile demand base compared to the battery sector — providing supply programme continuity for producers across commodity price cycles.
Cooktop glass · Display glass · Sanitary ceramics
10%
Sector 03 · Speciality
Lubricants & Industrial
Lithium soaps — formed by reacting lithium hydroxide with fatty acids — are the basis of lithium-complex grease, the dominant lubricant thickener type used in automotive, industrial, and aerospace applications. Lithium grease outperforms calcium and sodium soaps in water resistance, temperature stability (operating range −40°C to +200°C), and mechanical stability — making it the de-facto standard for wheel-bearing, chassis, and general-purpose industrial greases globally.

Additional industrial lithium applications include aluminium smelting flux additions (lithium fluoride reduces cryolite melting point in Hall-Héroult cells), air treatment systems (lithium chloride as a desiccant), and specialty pharmaceuticals (lithium carbonate as a mood-stabilising psychiatric medication).
Wheel-bearing grease · Al smelting flux · Pharma
Without lithium there are no
EV batteries — and without EV batteries,
the energy transition stalls
— United Metals Lithium Concentrates · Tanzania & Zimbabwe
Market Intelligence

Lithium Market
Dynamics & Outlook

The lithium market is structurally defined by EV adoption rates and battery gigafactory build-out — with Australia's hard-rock dominance and China's converter control creating supply-chain dynamics that make African spodumene increasingly strategic for Western battery manufacturers.

Demand Outlook · 2025–2035
25%
CAGR
EV-Led Demand Supercycle
Global lithium demand is projected to grow at 20–30% CAGR through 2030, driven by accelerating EV adoption across all major automotive markets, grid-scale energy storage deployment, and consumer electronics. Benchmark forecasts suggest global LCE demand will reach 1.5–2.0 million tonnes by 2030 — from under 500,000 tonnes in 2022 — a demand tripling requiring a fundamental expansion of the hard-rock mining base.
EV Penetration: Global EV sales projected to exceed 40 million units annually by 2030 — each unit requiring 7–12 kg LCE in the battery pack
Grid Storage: Stationary battery storage deployments for renewable energy integration adding significant non-EV demand base
Western Gigafactories: European and US cell manufacturing ramp-up requiring non-Chinese certified upstream supply for IRA and CRMA compliance
Critical Mineral Policies: US IRA, EU Critical Raw Materials Act, and bilateral trade agreements creating preferential market access for African supply
Supply Structure · Diversification Imperative
55%
Australia
Australia's Dominance & Africa's Emergence
Australia currently supplies over 55% of global spodumene concentrate, primarily from the Pilbara region (Greenbushes, Pilgangoora, Mt Marion), with Chinese-owned or Chinese-offtake-linked operations dominating the conversion step. Western battery manufacturers are under significant regulatory and strategic pressure to build non-Australian, non-Chinese-linked supply chains — making African hard-rock lithium a strategically critical supply source for the 2025–2035 period.
IRA Foreign Entity of Concern: US Inflation Reduction Act restricts EV tax credits for battery materials from FEOC-designated entities — driving premium for non-China-linked African supply
EU CRMA Benchmarks: EU Critical Raw Materials Act's strategic autonomy targets require 10% of annual lithium consumption from EU or FTA-partner sources by 2030
Price Cycle Navigation: Long-term offtake agreements with African producers provide price floor protection against spot market volatility seen in 2023–2024 cycles
ESG Premium: African hard-rock lithium's lower land-use footprint versus brine operations and traceable provenance commands ESG premiums in European battery supply chains
Source Lithium Concentrates

SC6 Battery Grade.
African Origin.

United Metals supplies spodumene concentrates from Tanzania and Zimbabwe — delivering SC4, SC5, and SC6 grade material with full provenance documentation, independent assay certification, and bonded logistics from mine to port. Whether you are a lithium chemical converter, battery cathode manufacturer, or a Western gigafactory building a non-Australian supply programme, contact us to discuss specifications, offtake structures, and supply terms.

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