HARARE, June 18 – Lithium producers in Zimbabwe are urging the government to extend the deadline for a planned ban on lithium concentrate exports, arguing that additional time is needed to complete processing facilities that will enable local beneficiation.
The export ban is scheduled to take effect in January 2027 as part of Zimbabwe’s strategy to increase domestic processing of lithium and capture more value from one of the world’s most sought-after battery minerals.
Speaking at a mining conference in Victoria Falls, Innocent Rukweza, chairman of the Zimbabwe Lithium Producers’ Association and Chief Executive Officer of Mutapa Energy Resources, appealed for the deadline to be pushed back until June 2027.
“It is a strong appeal that we are presenting to our regulators, that we finalise the work that is going on and extend the beneficiation ban maybe to June next year,” Rukweza said.
He added that while miners support the government’s beneficiation policy, the current implementation timeline remains challenging.
Zimbabwe, Africa’s largest lithium producer, has intensified efforts to develop a domestic battery minerals industry by encouraging local processing instead of exporting raw concentrate.
The government recently introduced lithium concentrate export quotas, imposed a 16% export tax on lithium concentrate and temporarily suspended shipments, citing concerns over mineral leakages and the need to maximize domestic economic benefits.
According to the industry association, major producers are at different stages of constructing lithium sulphate processing plants.
A facility owned by Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt has already been completed and is exporting processed lithium chemicals.
Meanwhile, Sinomine Resource Group’s Bikita Minerals operation and Sichuan Yahua Industrial Group’s Kamativi mine are currently building lithium sulphate plants, while the state-owned Sandawana mine is undertaking feasibility studies for its own processing facility.
Despite current challenges, the industry expects Zimbabwe’s annual lithium sulphate production to reach approximately 344,000 metric tons by 2030.
Lithium producers, however, continue to face rising production costs, higher taxation and regulatory uncertainty following policy measures introduced earlier this year.
Chinese companies remain the dominant investors in Zimbabwe’s lithium sector, having invested an estimated $2 billion since 2021.
Their presence has strengthened China’s position in the global lithium supply chain, particularly as demand for battery materials continues to rise with the global transition toward electric vehicles and renewable energy storage.
Zimbabwe exported approximately 1.13 million metric tons of lithium-bearing spodumene concentrate to China in 2025, accounting for around 15% of China’s total lithium concentrate imports during the year.
The government’s beneficiation strategy is expected to transform Zimbabwe from a raw mineral exporter into a higher-value producer of processed battery materials, although industry participants say additional time will be needed to complete the infrastructure required to achieve that goal.
