HARARE, April 8 – Zimbabwe plans to introduce export quotas on lithium concentrates and require mining companies to commit to local processing investments as conditions for resuming mineral exports.
The move follows a suspension of lithium concentrate and other unprocessed mineral exports earlier this year, after authorities raised concerns over leakages and irregularities in the sector.
In new guidelines issued by the mines ministry, producers will be assigned specific export quotas, while also being required to publish annual financial statements and meet stricter labour, safety and environmental standards.
The government has also mandated that mining firms provide written commitments to develop lithium sulphate processing plants, with a deadline set for January 1, 2027. This aligns with plans to fully ban exports of lithium concentrates from that date.
In the interim, a 10% export tax on lithium concentrates will remain in place as authorities push for greater domestic value addition in the battery metals supply chain.
Zimbabwe is Africa’s top lithium producer and plays a growing role in global supply, particularly as demand for battery materials accelerates. The country exported more than 1.1 million metric tons of lithium concentrate in 2025, with a significant share destined for China.
The sector is dominated by Chinese mining firms, including Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt, Sinomine Resource Group, Chengxin Lithium Group, Yahua Group and Tsingshan Holding Group, reinforcing China’s influence over the global battery metals market.
The policy shift reflects a broader trend across resource-rich African economies seeking to retain more value domestically by limiting raw material exports and encouraging downstream industrial development.
