cement market and significantly enhance product value,” he explains. To date, production has been supported by existing stockpiles. However, mining activities are scheduled to commence later this year, initially targeting portions of the deposit suitable for cement production. As of February, the company had sufficient stockpiles to sustain operations for approximately six to eight months, after which primary mining will begin. Targeting new markets Limeco has recently appointed a marketing specialist to drive new business development and facilitate entry into established supply chains. “Gaining access to these networks typically requires either offering a more competitive price or delivering a superior product. At this stage, we are confident that our strength lies in providing a higher-quality solution.” The company is targeting expansion into Zimbabwe and Zambia, citing robust demand from the copper sector, particularly in Zambia and the Copperbelt, where quicklime consumption is strong. In Zimbabwe, the emerging miner has recently entered the gold market, supplying product through Chinese operators as well as directly to service providers. In gold processing, quicklime is used to maintain alkaline conditions in the leach solution. Without proper pH control, the solution can become overly acidic, causing cyanide to convert into hazardous hydrogen cyanide (HCN) gas. Beyond mining, the company is also assessing opportunities in Zambia’s agricultural, food and sugar industries. The sugar sector, in particular, is a consumer of hydrated lime. Other industries that use lime include steel, construction, pharmaceuticals and food processing. “Lime serves a broad and diversified customer base, ranging from large-scale mining operations to more specialised segments such as the food industry, which requires a high-specification product,” Carellas says. “We have not yet actively pursued some of these markets, but they represent clear opportunities as we scale up production.” Concludes Carellas: “Limeco offers a unique industrial minerals product, poised to generate significant revenue from multiple streams. Unlike gold or copper, it is less exposed to volatile market prices.” n
Stockpiles.
Transporting bagged lime product.
for future resource expansion. However, as Carellas explains: “Limeco is not just a quarry; it is an integrated facility with a 300-tonne-per-hour processing throughput, allowing for direct mining and production.” • Strategic location and market demand: Located in Zambia, Limeco supplies essential lime products to the regional copper, gold and steel industries for pH control and impurity removal. • Growth potential: The project is expanding with a high-purity calcium carbonate milling circuit (expected H2 2026) and bringing additional kilns online (a total of 8), adding new revenue streams. • Secure tenure: The operation holds a 10-year mining license, providing long- term security and stability for operations. Firering expands its product line Limeco is now generating revenue from
the sale of quicklime and has expanded its product offering to include hydrated lime, with limestone powder set to become a third product line. “The most significant milestone is that we are now in production and generating revenue,” Carellas says. “We have broadened our product range to include hydrated lime and are in the process of adding limestone powder, further diversifying our revenue streams.” To support its expansion focus, the emerging miner is constructing a cement plant to produce limestone powder. The initiative forms part of a broader strategy to optimise operations and increase margins by converting lower-value material into higher-value products. “Rather than selling our 60–90 mm aggregate at relatively low margins, we are installing processing equipment to convert this material into limestone powder. This enables us to supply the
April 2026 | www.modernminingmagazine.co.za MODERN MINING 21
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