China’s Yahua Wins Six-Month Lithium Export Quota from Zimbabwe as Government Tightens Control Over Battery Minerals
China’s Sichuan Yahua Industrial Group said on Tuesday that it had secured a six-month export quota for lithium concentrates from Zimbabwe, two months after Africa’s largest lithium producer suspended exports of the key battery material.
The quota is expected to be sufficient to maintain normal production levels at the company’s Kamativi Mine, Yahua said in response to a question on an investor online Q&A platform affiliated with the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.
The company added that it is currently completing the necessary procedures to resume exports under the new regulatory framework.
The announcement follows reports that Zimbabwe has begun granting export quotas to selected Chinese mining firms producing lithium concentrates.
According to state media, the companies include Chengxin Lithium and Sinomine Resource Group, both of which operate lithium mining facilities in the country.
Zimbabwe suspended exports of all raw minerals and lithium concentrates in February, citing concerns over alleged malpractice, revenue leakage and the need to strengthen regulatory oversight across the mining sector.
Earlier this month, the government indicated it would introduce a quota-based export system for lithium concentrates, with conditions requiring producers to commit to increased domestic processing and value addition.
In 2025, Zimbabwe exported approximately 1.13 million tonnes of lithium-bearing spodumene concentrate to China, accounting for about 15% of China’s lithium concentrate imports during the year.
Meanwhile, Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt said it had not yet received formal notification from the Zimbabwean government regarding export quotas.
Huayou remains one of the largest Chinese investors in Zimbabwe and a dominant player in the country’s rapidly expanding lithium mining industry.
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