Zimbabwe has banned exports of antimony and tungsten with immediate effect, aiming to pressure companies into refining the raw materials domestically. Antimony is used in batteries, flame-resistant materials, and some military applications, while tungsten is prized for its hardness and heat resistance in cutting tools, mining equipment, and aerospace. The move follows a broader push among resource-rich African nations, including Guinea, Ghana, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, to capture more value from mineral wealth through local processing. Zimbabwe, home to Africa’s largest lithium reserves, took similar action in February by suspending exports of unprocessed lithium concentrates, though it eased that restriction in April. The country has since begun exporting higher-value lithium sulphate from its Arcadia mine near Harare.