Spodumene Signed and Sealed: Mali’s Lithium Moves Get Real

By Bradley Riviera, Editor – MiningFocus Africa

Lithium has shifted from buzzword to backbone—and Mali is riding the wave. On July 27, Kodal Minerals finalized an offtake deal with China’s Yibin Tianyi Lithium, securing long-term purchases of spodumene concentrate from the Bougouni Project. The agreement includes early payments, technical support, and options for downstream investment.

Set to deliver 150,000 tonnes/year at 6% Li₂O, Bougouni is Mali’s first lithium project with a binding export contract. But the strategy goes deeper: Kodal is collaborating with the Mali government to develop on-site conversion pilot plants, moving from raw exports to battery-grade lithium carbonate within three years.

Mali’s new Critical Minerals Code, unveiled in Q2 2025, offers tax holidays, infrastructure offsets, and local ownership incentives for battery minerals projects. Kodal’s Bougouni site will be among the first to trial mobile beneficiation units, potentially transforming village economies.

As Europe and Asia scout for non-conflict lithium supply, Mali’s pivot toward integrated value chains could rewrite its development blueprint—from aid-dependent to tech-aligned and resource-smart.