President Emmerson Mnangagwa has re-emphasised Zimbabwe’s drive to process minerals locally, stressing the need for mutually beneficial partnerships and making it clear there is no turning back on the country’s beneficiation drive, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Ryan Chigoche
The remarks come as authorities enforce a lithium concentrate export ban ahead of the 2027 deadline, marking a decisive shift from phased reform to immediate value retention within the domestic economy.
Speaking at the National Heroes Acre during the burial of national heroes, Mnangagwa said the country’s mineral wealth must be harnessed in a way that delivers direct benefits to Zimbabweans, placing responsibility on investors to align with national development priorities.
“Meanwhile, we will continue to structurally transform our economy, ensuring that our finite resources are processed and value-added at source for the benefit of our people. Our partners and investors across all sectors, particularly in mining, have a duty to ensure durable and mutually beneficial collaboration. The doors of my Administration remain open for complementary economic relations,” he said.
The latest remarks reinforce a policy direction that has been steadily taking shape. In June 2025, regulators outlined plans to gradually phase out lithium concentrate exports, giving mining companies and investors time to adjust to in-country processing requirements. However, rising global demand for lithium and increased export activity in recent months appear to have accelerated that transition.
The shift is now being felt across the sector. Last week, the Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe urged its nationals operating in the country to comply fully with government directives, signalling alignment with Harare’s beneficiation agenda.
With global market dynamics shifting and competition for battery minerals intensifying, Zimbabwe’s approach is increasingly focused on locking in value at source.
The government’s message is now unequivocal: beneficiation is no longer a future goal, but an immediate and irreversible pillar of the country’s mining strategy.
