Battery metals explorer Patriot Lithium is broadening its focus by venturing into Africa to secure valuable copper resources that could enhance its portfolio.
The Australian company, which has been actively exploring for lithium in North America for the past two years—culminating in a successful discovery in Canada—now aims to develop the Katwaro project in Zambia. Executive chairperson Hugh Warner emphasized the importance of copper, stating, “Copper, like lithium, is an essential ingredient in the battery metals complex and for many other industrial uses.”
Patriot has entered into a binding option agreement with Zambian company Array Metals and Natural Resources to acquire an 80% interest in the Katwaro project, which covers 400 hectares and features a historical open-pit mine rich in copper-bearing metasediments. Warner noted that “the Katwaro copper project will complement our lithium assets and provide jurisdictional diversity regarding native title, sovereign risk, and alternative weather windows for exploration.”
This expansion comes in response to challenges at the Gorman lithium project in Canada, where a First Nation Band has denied Patriot land access. Warner remains hopeful for a resolution, stating that negotiations for land access at Gorman are ongoing. The Gorman project is located near TSX-V-listed Frontier Lithium’s PAK-Spark lithium project, which has gained attention from major industry players.
Warner highlighted the growing recognition of the region’s prospectivity, pointing to Frontier’s recent joint venture with Mitsubishi to advance what could become Ontario’s first fully integrated lithium operation. He described this investment as a significant endorsement of the area’s potential to emerge as a leading lithium exploration and production district.
