Can Zimbabwe’s mineral ambitions benefit smaller producers?

What the report says

Al Jazeera reported that Zimbabwe is tightening limits on exports of unprocessed strategic minerals, including lithium, as part of a push to shift from raw mineral sales toward domestic processing and manufacturing. The report, published July 26, said officials view beneficiation as a way to retain more value from the country’s resources, with Mines and Mining Development Minister Polite Kambamura pointing to the 2022 ban on unprocessed lithium ore exports as a catalyst for investment.

The policy has helped draw more than $1bn into Zimbabwe’s lithium value chain, according to officials and industry representatives cited by Al Jazeera. During a July 17 media tour in Goromonzi, Mashonaland East, Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe, owned by China’s Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt, showcased a lithium sulphate plant and said its lithium carbonate facility was about 90 percent complete. Government officials said the longer-term ambition includes local production linked to batteries and solar panels.

Smaller miners, however, told Al Jazeera they may struggle to benefit from the shift. Shelton Lucas of Naivo Mining said firms operating in minerals such as chrome, antimony and tungsten face high plant costs and limited affordable processing options, leaving some dependent on local smelters. He argued for shared or toll-smelting facilities that would let smaller producers access processing capacity on transparent terms.

Economist Chenayi Mutambasere said the plan depends on practical support, including reliable power, financing, transport infrastructure, skills and clear timelines. The report framed Zimbabwe’s debate as part of a wider challenge for resource-rich countries: using export restrictions to build domestic industry without allowing only the largest companies to control processing and market access.