Zimbabwe to introduce lithium export quotas, sets conditions for resumption of shipments
Zimbabwe will introduce lithium concentrate export quotas and require commitments for more local processing as part of conditions to allow the resumption of mineral exports, the mines ministry has told producers.
Africa's top lithium producer suspended exports of lithium concentrates and other unprocessed minerals on February 26, after the government alleged malpractices and leakages.
In a letter to the country's mining chamber seen by Reuters on Wednesday, Zimbabwe's mines ministry set out conditions including the mandatory publication of mines' annual financial statements as well as labour, safety and environmental standards.
"Approved lithium concentrate export quotas will be communicated to each producer," the letter, dated April 2, added.
The government also wants "written commitments on dedicated timelines to set up lithium sulphate plants" before January 1, 2027, it added.
A 10% export tax will, meanwhile, continue to be levied on lithium concentrate exports until a January 2027 ban on concentrate shipments comes into force.
The Chamber of Mines Zimbabwe did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Chinese mining firms including Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt, Sinomine, Chengxin Lithium Group, Yahua, and the Tsingshan Holding Group dominate Zimbabwe's lithium mining sector, consolidating China's dominance of the global battery metal supply chain.
In 2025, Zimbabwe exported 1.128-million metric tons of lithium-bearing spodumene concentrate to China, accounting for about 15% of its lithium concentrate imports for the year.
Huayou recently built a $400-million plant to further process lithium concentrates into lithium sulphate, an intermediate product that can be refined into battery-grade materials such as lithium hydroxide or lithium carbonate.
Sinomine and Yahua have also announced plans to build lithium sulphate plants at their Zimbabwe mines.
Article Enquiry
Email Article
Save Article
Feedback
To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here
Press Office
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation

















