By Agencies
Zimbabwe’s plan to halt raw lithium exports by January 2027 is set to have significant ramifications for the global battery metals industry, with major implications for both miners and manufacturers.
Ranked as the world’s second-largest exporter of spodumene to China, Zimbabwe is poised to leverage its mineral wealth by banning the shipment of unprocessed lithium concentrate. The move mirrors Indonesia’s strategy with nickel exports, which successfully attracted billions in downstream investment by compelling companies to process minerals locally.
The Zimbabwean government’s strategy is clear: retain more value within national borders by encouraging miners to establish processing plants on home soil. This policy aims to stimulate job creation, infrastructure development, and local industrialisation, shifting the country’s role from a raw material supplier to a key player in the global lithium value chain.
Consulting firm Project Blue’s David Merriman notes that some international operators are already adjusting to the new policy. Chinese companies like Sinomine and Huayou Cobalt have begun setting up lithium sulphate production facilities in Zimbabwe, marking a pivot toward in-country beneficiation.
Other firms, including Canmax, Chengxin, and Yahua, are expected to follow suit, particularly given the volume of exports at stake. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, Zimbabwe shipped over 200,000 tonnes of lithium concentrate to China, equating to nearly 26,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) — a substantial share of the global supply and a critical input for China’s battery production.
However, the ban presents potential risks. If Zimbabwe lacks sufficient refining capacity by the 2027 deadline, producers may face processing delays, and downstream industries could scramble for alternative sources of raw lithium.
The broader signal from Harare is unambiguous: resource-rich nations are asserting greater control over their commodities, seeking more than mere royalties. They now demand value-added development in the form of employment, industrial capacity, and long-term economic gains.
Whether Zimbabwe can meet the infrastructure and investment demands necessary to support this transition remains uncertain. Yet the shift marks a growing global trend where policy and geopolitics are beginning to rival geology and mineral quality in determining the future of critical supply chains.
