Kodal Minerals (LON:KOD) has begun exporting lithium spodumene concentrate from its Bougouni mine in southern Mali, marking the company’s transition from mine construction to full-scale operations. The first truckloads of concentrate have been dispatched to the port of San Pedro in Côte d’Ivoire, where they will be prepared for shipment to Hainan, China.

The Bougouni project, located about 170 kilometers south of Mali’s capital, Bamako, began production in February. It sits within a region that hosts several established mining operations, including Hummingbird Resources’ Yanfolila gold mine and B2Gold’s Fekola gold project. Kodal’s development adds lithium — a key metal in electric vehicle batteries and renewable energy storage — to the list of commodities produced in the area.

A total of 30,000 tonnes of spodumene concentrate have been sent from Bougouni’s stockpile as part of the company’s initial export phase. The full 45,000-tonne stockpile is scheduled to be transported over the next four to six weeks to ensure steady supply at the San Pedro port, allowing for continuous export activity.

Chief executive Bernard Aylward described the commencement of exports as a significant step forward for the operation. “This is a major milestone for the Bougouni project,” he said. “With the first truckloads of spodumene concentrate departing site for export, the construction of the dense media separation plant and processing of ore from the Ngoualana open pit, we are now in a position to consistently manage the exporting of spodumene concentrate.”

Kodal Minerals expects to record its first revenue once the loading of the initial 30,000-tonne shipment to China is complete. The sale is being conducted under the company’s existing offtake agreement. Additional shipments from Mali to Côte d’Ivoire will follow as Kodal builds up regular export volumes.

The Bougouni mine forms a key part of Kodal’s strategy to establish a reliable supply of lithium concentrate from West Africa. As operations stabilize, the company plans to release further updates on production progress and export activity.

The start of exports is the start of operational readiness of the Bougouni project and Mali’s growing role in the global lithium supply chain, as new producers begin to emerge alongside the region’s long-established gold mining sector.