Zimbabwe halts raw mineral exports, affecting logistics and local mining industry.
Zimbabwe, which has Africa’s largest lithium reserves, has imposed an immediate ban on exports of all raw minerals and lithium concentrate, accelerating plans to force greater local processing of its vast resource wealth. Mines Minister Polite Kambamura said the measure, which also applies to shipments already in transit, is aimed at promoting transparency, beneficiation, and in-country value addition. The move brings forward a lithium export restriction previously set for 2027, signaling Harare’s urgency in capturing more benefits from the global clean energy boom. The country exported more than 1.1 million metric tons of spodumene in 2025, mostly to China. Now, with mining contributing 14.3% of GDP, Zimbabwe is tightening control over a sector central to its economic future.
Al Jazeera