• Six major producers receive export quotas under tighter controls
• Policy aims to curb fraud and regulate lithium shipments
• Government pushes firms to invest in local processing by 2027

Zimbabwe has begun easing its February ban on lithium concentrate exports, introducing a quota system for selected producers as part of a broader effort to regulate the sector while advancing local processing.

Mines Minister Polite Kambamura confirmed on April 14 that the government has approved export quotas for a limited group of large producers. The approach aims to protect existing investments while supporting the country’s long-term goal of moving up the value chain.

Six companies—mostly controlled by Chinese groups—have been authorized under the new system. They include Sinomine (Bikita), Chengxin Lithium (Sabi Star), Sichuan Yahua (Kamativi), Huayou Cobalt (Arcadia), Tsingshan (Gwanda), and Kuvimba Mining (Sandawana).

While individual quotas have not been disclosed, authorities said exports will now face stricter oversight, with controls on volumes, tonnage, and shipments. This marks a shift from the previous system, which allowed greater flexibility for operators.

Zimbabwe, Africa’s top lithium producer, plays a key role in supplying China. In 2025, the country exported about 1.13 million tons of spodumene concentrate to China, accounting for roughly 15% of its imports. The impact of the quota system remains uncertain, especially in a context of oversupply in the Chinese market.

Authorities say the reform also aims to clean up the sector by reducing fraud, including underreporting of volumes and the role of informal intermediaries.

Beyond export controls, the policy is part of a broader strategy to boost local value addition. The government requires producers to build lithium sulfate processing plants by January 2027, a deadline that could coincide with a full ban on concentrate exports once domestic capacity is in place.

The government said it is working with producers to define a roadmap that includes processing facilities, mandatory mineral declarations before export, and additional infrastructure to separate valuable materials within lithium shipments.

Several companies, including Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt, Sinomine, and Sichuan Yahua, have already announced plans to invest in local processing. However, it remains unclear how authorities will handle operators that fail to meet these requirements.

Lithium, a key component in electric vehicle batteries and energy storage systems, is becoming central to Zimbabwe’s mining sector, alongside platinum group metals, gold, chrome, and diamonds.

Aurel Sèdjro Houenou