Business Reporter
THE Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG) says Zimbabwe’s ban on raw export lithium ban slated for January 2027 is way too far.
The mining lobby group was responding to a statement made by Mines and Mining Development Minister, Winston Chitando regarding an upcoming ban on lithium ore exports and the transition toward producing value-added lithium sulphate.
The ban will be implemented with effect from January 2027 as part of efforts to develop the ferrochrome industry, an announcement CNRG believes is too lousy considering the state of the minerals plunder.
“Already, allegations of lithium smuggling across porous borders into South Africa and Mozambique raise concerns regarding corruption and illicit mineral and financial flows. Unverified reports indicate that up to 3,000 tons of lithium ore leave the country daily, a staggering 1,62 million tons over the past 18 months, with minimal accountability, benefit to the state, or protection for affected communities,” said CNRG.
The CSO expressed concerns that the ban of raw lithium was being unnecessarily delayed into irrelevance underscoring that processing and refining lithium into concentrates before exporting will retain the value of mineral wealth, boost tax revenue and encourage new local businesses, and add jobs.
“However, this timeline is too little, too late. The stated January 2027 target for full implementation of value addition and beneficiation for lithium,” said CNRG.
The organization said the stated January 2027 target for full implementation of value addition and beneficiation for lithium is not acceptable considering the current extraction and export levels which risks leaving the nation with little to count on while enriching foreign capital.
The organization said the extraction of such resources has come at an alarming social and ecological cost which has seen communities located near mining operations—especially in Goromonzi, Buhera, Mutoko, and Bikita— being transformed into sacrifice zones where residents face water depletion, environmental degradation, displacement, and increased social conflict, often without proper consultation.
