According to a report by Mining Weekly, citing Reuters, Zimbabwe's Minister of Mines Winston Chitando announced on Tuesday that, to expand domestic processing, the country will ban the export of lithium concentrates starting from 2027.
In 2022, Zimbabwe, Africa's largest lithium producer, ordered a ban on the export of lithium ore and has since been urging miners to process ore domestically.
Lithium mining companies in Zimbabwe have been exporting lithium concentrates. Currently, two lithium mines in Zimbabwe are constructing lithium sulfate plants, namely Bikita Minerals and Prospect Lithium. Lithium sulfate is an intermediate product that can be further smelted into high-grade materials, such as lithium hydroxide or lithium carbonate, which are used in battery manufacturing.
During a media briefing, Chitando stated, "The country now has the capacity to process, so all exports of lithium concentrates will be banned from January 2027."
In 2023, Zimbabwe granted lithium miners a grace period to submit plans for local smelter construction by March 2024, but its stance softened due to the decline in lithium prices.
