Harare, (New Ziana) –The Zimbabwe government will ban the export of lithium concentrate starting from January 2027 as it moves to stimulate domestic industrialisation and preserve value within the country, a Cabinet Minister has said.
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere told a post-Cabinet media briefing on Tuesday that Cabinet had adopted a deliberate policy to add value to the country’s strategic minerals, particularly ferrochrome and lithium.
Lithium, a mineral rapidly gaining global importance amid the shift to clean energy technologies and Zimbabwean ore bodies, largely Spodumene, are multi-element as they contain a number of minerals, making them highly strategic in global supply chains.
“Bikita Minerals and Arcadia Lithium are in the process of establishing lithium sulphate value addition facilities in order to beneficiate the lithium ores produced locally,” said Dr Muswere, underscoring the nation’s march toward becoming a key player in the lithium battery value chain.
He said Cabinet had taken the decision after receiving a comprehensive update on developments in the mining sector from Mines and Mining Development Minister Winston Chitando.
He said ferrochrome, a vital component in the global stainless steel industry, remained the most volatile mineral in terms of prices, but the country was positioning itself for stability and growth through structured policy shifts and infrastructure expansion.
“There are about ten other ferrochrome producers whose capacity ranges from 3 000 to 84 000 tons per annum, with an estimated total capacity of 270 000 tons per annum. “This represents significant potential for industrial scale beneficiation, which government intends to harness,” he said.
Highlighting a game-changing development in the sector, Dr Muswere said the Palm River Project which was commissioned in February 2025 now has an operational production capacity of 100 000 tons per annum, and is in the process of ramping up to a design capacity of 1 000 000 tons of ferrochrome, which will make it by far the largest producer in the country.
“In a bold step to align chrome mining with domestic processing targets, Cabinet has with immediate effect ruled that the issuance of new chrome mining titles above 100 hectares will be contingent upon either the expansion or development of new furnace capacity. Cabinet re-affirmed the ban on the export of chrome ores, and stressed the need to develop the ferrochrome industry locally,” he said.
Dr Muswere said to address inefficiencies and promote optimal use of mining assets, the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development will intensify the enforcement of the ‘use it or lose it’ principle. “Holders of all unutilised mining titles, chrome in particular, are requested to take note of the Government position,” he said.
New Ziana
