Wedoany.com Report-Sept. 6, British mining company Kodal Minerals has secured an export permit for spodumene concentrate from its Bougouni lithium project in southern Mali. The permit, authorised by the Ministry of Mines and signed by Professor Amadou Keita, the Minister of Mines, grants approval for an initial 125,000 tonnes of lithium concentrate, with additional administrative procedures still to be finalised before exports begin.

The Bougouni project is operated by LMLB, a subsidiary of Kodal Mining UK.

The Bougouni project is managed by Les Mines de Lithium de Bougouni (LMLB), a subsidiary of Kodal Mining UK, in which Kodal holds a 49% share. The new approval marks an important development after Kodal Minerals’ CEO, Bernard Aylward, said in May that regulatory challenges had limited the company’s exports to only 20,000 tonnes.

The permit defines key conditions for export operations. These include confirmation of the pricing mechanism based on the Shanghai Metal Market reference price, ensuring alignment with global benchmarks. It also requires that transportation contracts be assigned to Malian companies, reflecting national mining laws. Furthermore, all relevant taxes, duties and levies must be paid in line with regulatory requirements.

Bernard Aylward welcomed the progress, stating: “The granting of the export licence is a critical step for the development of the Bougouni project as well as Mali’s burgeoning spodumene industry. The permit further underpins the continued support of the Mali Ministry of Mines and the Government and their interest in the further development and expansion of Bougouni. Final administrative processes will be completed imminently and the mobilisation of the trucking fleet to site will commence as soon as possible.”

Kodal Minerals has already secured an offtake agreement for its output from Bougouni, ensuring that production has a defined market. In addition, a transport contract has been signed with a Malian logistics company for the delivery of material from the project site to the port in Côte d’Ivoire. This agreement provides the framework for reliable shipment of lithium concentrate to international buyers.

The company also confirmed that all financial commitments, including taxes, duties and levies, will be honoured under the terms of the agreement and applicable legislation. Kodal emphasised that fulfilling these obligations is integral to maintaining regulatory compliance and supporting the host country’s mining sector.

The Bougouni project represents a step forward in Mali’s lithium industry, with potential to contribute to the growing global demand for battery minerals. The combination of government authorisation, secured market channels, and logistical arrangements indicates that the project is moving towards regular production and export operations.

With the permit in place and preparations for transport underway, Kodal Minerals expects to commence shipments promptly once administrative steps are finalised. This milestone highlights the progress being made at Bougouni and sets the stage for increased participation in the global lithium supply chain.