Firering Strategic Minerals is making significant strides towards becoming Zambia’s top quicklime producer with the successful initiation of production at its Limeco project. The company has reached a major milestone with the first gasifier and Kiln 1 now operational, paving the way for rapid production expansion.
Following the commissioning of Kiln 1 in December and the activation of the first gasifier in January, Firering has now entered the production phase. The gasifier has been running consistently since 10 February, enabling the company to refire the kiln with crushed limestone. The calcination process, heating limestone to around 1,000 degrees Celsius, is now producing high-quality calcium oxide, commonly known as quicklime, within a seven to nine-hour cycle. An initial 30-day optimisation period is expected to fine-tune production quantity and quality.
A major achievement in the project’s development is the shift from heavy fuel oil to gasification for all eight kilns. This transition is set to enhance efficiency and significantly reduce operational costs. Each kiln is designed to produce up to 100 tonnes of quicklime per day, operating with minimal downtime, ensuring continuous output.
Firering’s chief executive officer, Yuval Cohen, emphasised the importance of these recent advancements, noting that the successful firing of the gasifier and Kiln 1 marks a critical step towards achieving full-scale operations. The company expects to announce the first production of quicklime within days, followed by a month-long optimisation period.
With steady-state production anticipated across all eight kilns by the end of 2025, Firering is on track to deliver over 200,000 tonnes of quicklime annually. This solidifies Limeco’s position as one of Zambia’s foremost quicklime producers and a key supplier to the expanding copper industry in the Central African Copperbelt.
Firering Strategic Minerals plc (LON:FRG) is an AIM-quoted mining company focused on becoming a near-term cash generating producer of Quicklime, through their Limeco Project in Zambia, whilst at the same time progressing with the exploration and development of their Atex Lithium Project, Côte d’Ivoire.
