Recently, Polite Kambamura, Zimbabwe’s mines minister, reiterated this logic, asserting that under-declaration by miners constituted a problem too significant to be overlooked.
He noted that the problem had become so prevalent that the administration was forced to move its disciplinary timeline a year behind.
The administration originally intended to begin the expiration ban on lithium concentrates next year, but initiated it as quickly as possible due to mounting output and additional export permits.
“The ban will be in effect as long as conditions or new expectations of the government are not met,” Kambamura said to reporters at a post-Cabinet briefing in Harare, the country’s capital.
“After the announcement, prices were reviewed upwards just because of one word from the government of Zimbabwe,” he added.
Following investments totaling billions of dollars by companies such as Sinomine Resource Group, Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt Co., and Chengxin Lithium Group for mine construction, Zimbabwe rapidly emerged as a key source of lithium concentrate for Chinese refineries, as reported by Bloomberg.
Consequently, governments across the continent are now seeking to compel mining enterprises to undertake local processing and refining of minerals, in a bid to enhance the value of their natural resources.
“The geology of our country is multi-element, which means one deposit can contain many other minerals, for example, the PGM deposits,” Kambamura said, referring to platinum group metals.
“The same applies with the pegmatite deposit where we get lithium.
The mines minister further revealed that the export prohibition encompasses lithium concentrates, in addition to any raw or unbeneficiated minerals that have not undergone value addition.
Zimbabwe’s ban on exporting some minerals
Last week, Zimbabwe’s mines ministry, via a statement seen by Reuters, announced the immediate and indefinite suspension of the exportation of all raw minerals and lithium concentrates.
“Government expects cooperation of the mining industry on this measure, which has been taken in the national interest,” the statement said.
“Government remains committed to … in-country value addition and beneficiation, compliance, and accountability in the exportation of Zimbabwe’s mineral resources,” it added.
The Mines Ministry announced that it will realign export procedures due to “continued malpractices during the exportation of minerals” in the statement.
“This review is part of a broader effort to curb leakages and enhance efficiency within our systems,” the ministry wrote.
