Zimbabwe Lithium Exports Hit US$782 Million as Government Pushes Local Processing
Zimbabwe’s lithium exports generated US$782 million in the first half of 2026, marking a 230% increase from the US$237 million recorded during the same period in 2025.
The surge underscores the growing importance of lithium to Zimbabwe’s mining sector as the government pushes to capture more value from the country’s mineral resources through local processing and beneficiation.
Zimbabwe, one of Africa’s leading lithium producers, has introduced measures to restrict exports of unprocessed minerals and encourage investment in domestic processing capacity.
Under the government’s current policy, major lithium producers can continue exporting concentrates under quotas while developing local processing facilities.
However, exports of unprocessed lithium concentrates are expected to end in January 2027.
The policy has already prompted significant investment. Five major producers Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe, Gwanda Lithium Company, Kamativi Mining Company, Bikita Minerals and Maxmind’s Sabi Star Lithium Mine collectively employ around 5,200 people and are developing processing facilities.
Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe, owned by China’s Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt, has commissioned a US$400 million lithium sulphate processing plant, which has begun exporting its first production.
However, Zimbabwe faces a capacity challenge ahead of the 2027 deadline. Prospect’s facility is currently designed to process material from its own concentrator, while processing plants being developed by other producers remain under construction.
Despite the challenges, lithium production and sales continue to expand. In the first quarter of 2026, Zimbabwe sold 240,826 tonnes of lithium worth US$178.64 million, compared with 224,610 tonnes valued at US$84.19 million during the same period in 2025.
Chinese companies have invested approximately US$2 billion in Zimbabwe’s lithium mining and processing industry since 2021, making them a major force behind the sector’s expansion.
The government’s strategy is ultimately aimed at transforming Zimbabwe from a supplier of lithium raw materials into a more integrated participant in the global battery-materials supply chain.
With export earnings rising and new processing projects being developed, lithium is increasingly positioned as a key driver of Zimbabwe’s mining growth and mineral beneficiation agenda.
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