HARARE, Feb 25 – Zimbabwe has suspended exports of all raw minerals and lithium concentrates with immediate effect, as authorities move to tighten oversight and accelerate domestic value addition across its mining sector.
The country’s mines ministry said the export ban will remain in place until further notice and applies to all affected mineral shipments, including those currently in transit. Officials cited concerns over persistent malpractices, leakages, and inefficiencies in the export system as the primary reason for the directive.
The government said the move forms part of a broader effort to strengthen compliance, improve accountability, and ensure Zimbabwe captures greater economic value from its mineral wealth. Authorities also emphasised their commitment to promoting in-country beneficiation, a strategy aimed at processing raw resources domestically rather than exporting them in unrefined form.
The decision accelerates an earlier policy timeline, under which Zimbabwe had planned to ban lithium concentrate exports by 2027. The country, Africa’s leading producer of lithium, exported over 1.1 million metric tons of spodumene concentrate in 2025, reflecting rapid growth driven by strong global demand for battery minerals.
Much of Zimbabwe’s lithium output has historically been exported to China for further refining into battery-grade materials used in electric vehicles and energy storage systems. However, the government has increasingly pushed mining companies to establish local processing facilities to support industrialisation and maximise economic returns.
Several international mining firms have already begun investing in domestic processing capacity. Chinese-backed projects include a $400 million lithium sulphate processing plant and additional investments aimed at converting raw lithium into higher-value intermediate materials within Zimbabwe.
The export suspension underscores Zimbabwe’s strategic shift toward resource nationalism and industrial development, as African nations increasingly seek to retain more value from the global energy transition and critical minerals supply chain.
