Harare, (New Ziana) – A framework designed to maximise national earnings while building a vibrant downstream minerals industry was on Tuesday approved by Cabinet, paving the way for a robust, globally competitive mineral-based manufacturing hub.
Announcing the approval of the Minerals Value Chain framework — spanning mining, beneficiation, industrialisation, and exploitation — at a post-Cabinet media briefing, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Zhemu Soda said the initiative will protect national interests by closing long-standing leakages.
Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga presented the framework, which is anchored on four main pillars, namely the Mineral-Specific Architecture and Mandatory Standards, the National Minerals Research and Analytical Scientific Laboratory Infrastructure Pillar, the Mine-to-Market Operational Control System Pillar, and the Integrated Special Economic Zones Pillar.
“Cabinet has adopted a robust framework aimed at transitioning Zimbabwe from a primary resource extraction and exportation entity to a globally competitive minerals-based industrial manufacturing hub. The framework seeks to protect the national interest by closing the leakages that have perennially prejudiced the country of huge earnings from its vast mineral wealth,” Soda said.
The Mineral-Specific Architecture and Mandatory Standards pillar sets out legally binding minimum processing thresholds and introduces mandatory requirements for a Value-Added Compliance Certificate before any export permit can be issued.
Under the National Minerals Research and Analytical Scientific Laboratory Infrastructure Pillar, the Government will end the costly and risky reliance on foreign laboratories for mineral certification through a decentralised network of specialised analytical hubs co-located at national universities and scientific institutions. These will serve as dedicated referral centres for specific mineral clusters across the country.
“For example, the National Mineral Research Centre at the University of Zimbabwe will function as the apex hub for all minerals, including lithium, rare earth elements, and uranium, while the National University of Science and Technology and Great Zimbabwe University will anchor platinum group metals and battery minerals.
“Midlands State University will provide analytical oversight for iron ore, chrome and vanadium corridors, Manicaland State University of Applied Sciences will focus on the national diamond and gemmology suite, Chinhoyi University of Technology and Bindura University of Science Education will specialise in industrial minerals, phosphates and graphite, Gwanda State University will serve Matabeleland South Province on geology beneficiation for artisanal and small-scale miners, and the Zimbabwe School of Mines will be an integrated core hub for specialised training,” Soda said.
He further stated that the Mine-to-Market Operational Control System Pillar will focus on smart tracking of mineral exports to secure value by preventing leakages and fraud through the adoption of a secure, real-time mine-to-market corridor.
“The mine-to-market system will provide a comprehensive, end-to-end audit trail that tracks every mineral consignment from the point of extraction through to the final port of exit, thereby safeguarding national wealth and enhancing transparency across the entire value chain,” he added.
On the Integrated Special Economic Zones Pillar, under which the country’s zones will support both new and existing ventures, Soda said new investors will be directed to specialised regional hubs, such as Northern Battery Minerals or Midlands Metallurgical zones, where they can share infrastructure and scale operations efficiently.
The four pillars will be supported by key enablers, including reliable and affordable energy supply, incentives for energy self-generation for beneficiation projects, and adherence to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles.
New Ziana
