African Critical Minerals: Mali's Bougouni Lithium Mine, majority-owned by Chinese and British enterprises, has not yet exported lithium since production began in February. Kodal Minerals produced its first batch of lithium concentrate at the Bougouni mine in Mali in February 2025. The company plans to begin exports by the end of the first quarter. The second lithium mining project in Mali still lacks the necessary permits for exports. Two months after the start of operations at the Bougouni mine, Kodal Minerals has not yet exported any lithium from the mine. In a press release on April 17, the company stated that exports may begin in "the next quarter." The mine produced its first batch of spodumene concentrate in February 2025. By the end of March, the plant had prepared 11,000 tons of lithium concentrate, which could be shipped via the port of Abidjan to China. During the waiting period for export permits, these lithium ores are currently stored on-site. Kodal Minerals is negotiating with Malian authorities to obtain the necessary approvals. Kodal Minerals has not disclosed whether the delay in permits is related to unresolved issues concerning the Bougouni mining license. As part of a shareholder restructuring and to comply with Mali's 2023 Mining Code, Kodal Minerals requested the transfer of the Bougouni mining license from its subsidiary Future Minerals-SARL to a new joint venture - Les Mines de Lithium de Bougouni-SA. The Council of Ministers approved this transfer on April 16. The new ownership structure gives Mali a 35% stake in the mine, with 5% reserved for local investors and the remaining 65% held by Kodal Minerals and its Chinese partner, Hainan Mining. Once exports begin, Mali will gain a new source of mining revenue. Kodal Minerals and Hainan Mining, which funded the construction of the mine, are expected to start making profits and recovering their investments. Source: ecofinagency [Image: //p3-sign.toutiaoimg.com/tos-cn-i-ezhpy3drpa/880a1cc32532460aad0009a967876654~tplv-obj:500:332.image?_iz=97245&bid=15&from=post&gid=1830219239510080&lk3s=06827d14&x-expires=1753142400&x-signature=DYisfMN26jiuhZXbuaBRhiEjip0%3D] [Image: //p3-sign.toutiaoimg.com/tos-cn-i-ezhpy3drpa/5d46b8c444b1425dbbf5daddf9a54a23~tplv-obj:596:728.image?_iz=97245&bid=15&from=post&gid=1830219239510080&lk3s=06827d14&x-expires=1753142400&x-signature=PvKUDtOylnmcOkJNAEhsbQVMe0Y%3D] Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1830219239510080/ Disclaimer: This article solely represents the views of the author.