Zimbabwe halts raw mineral and lithium exports

Zimbabwe has suspended exports of all raw minerals and lithium concentrates with immediate effect, due to alleged malpractices and leakages, according to a Reuters report on February 25th.

The government said the ban applies to all raw minerals, including shipments already in transit, and will remain in place until further notice. Officials said the measure was taken in the national interest and called on mining companies to cooperate.

In a letter dated February 17 and addressed to the Zimbabwe Chamber of Mines, the ministry said it would review and realign export procedures. The move reflects issues regarding “continued malpractices” during mineral exports. Authorities said the review is part of wider efforts to reduce leakages and improve oversight.

The government has repeatedly said it wants more value addition within the country rather than exporting raw materials. It added that it remains committed to ensuring compliance and accountability in the export of Zimbabwe’s mineral resources.

Zimbabwe is Africa’s top producer of lithium, a key mineral used in electric vehicle batteries and clean energy storage. The country exported 1.128 million metric tons of lithium-bearing spodumene concentrate in 2025, an 11% increase compared to the previous year.

Much of this output is shipped to China for further processing. In recent years, Zimbabwe has pushed mining companies to process more lithium locally to capture greater economic benefits from the global shift to cleaner energy.

Chinese firms have played a major role in expanding lithium production in Zimbabwe. Companies such as Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt, Sinomine, Chengxin Lithium Group and Yahua have invested heavily in the sector.

Huayou recently completed a $400 million plant to process lithium concentrates into lithium sulphate, which can later be refined into battery-grade materials. Sinomine has also announced plans to build a $500 million lithium sulphate plant at its Bikita mine.

Earlier, Zimbabwe had planned to ban lithium concentrate exports starting in 2027. The latest move brings that policy forward as the government tightens control over mineral exports.

 

Reuters, Maghrebi