Zimbabwe has granted lithium export quotas to six large-scale concentrate producers, Mines Minister Dr Polite Kambamura has confirmed, while clarifying that the February export ban has been “softly lifted” under strict conditions designed to protect existing investments and weed out unethical behaviour.
By Rudairo Mapuranga
The six approved companies are Sinomine’s Bikita Minerals, Chengxin Lithium’s Sabi Star Mine, Yahua Group’s Kamativi Lithium Company (KMC), Huayou Cobalt’s Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe (Arcadia Lithium Mine), Tsingshan’s Gwanda Lithium Mine, and Mutapa Investment Fund-owned Sandawana Mines.
“Only large-scale lithium concentrate producers have been approved,” Kambamura said when asked to clarify which companies qualified for quotas.
Six Producers, Six Quotas
The confirmation follows a report by state media China Securities Journal that Sinomine Resource and Chengxin Lithium had received quotas. Kambamura has now expanded the list to include all major players.
According to the companies’ operational data:
Chengxin Lithium’s Sabi Star Mine has an annual production capability of approximately 290,000 tonnes of lithium concentrate.
Sinomine’s Bikita Minerals has rapidly expanded operations at its historic mine, which has operated for over 70 years.
Yahua Group’s Kamativi Lithium Mine achieved an annual processing capacity of 2.3 million tonnes of raw ore in mid-November 2025.
Huayou Cobalt’s Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe has invested US$1.1 billion in the country, with Arcadia Technology Zimbabwe commissioning Africa’s first lithium sulphate plant in Q1 2026.
Tsingshan’s Gwanda Lithium Mine completed its multi-million-dollar plant and produces 1,500 tonnes per day of lithium concentrate.
Sandawana Mines, owned by the Mutapa Investment Fund, has confirmed resources of approximately 100 million tonnes of lithium-bearing ore.
Quotas, Not Open Access
Kambamura elaborated on the new export regime, emphasising that the era of unrestricted exports is over.
“We came up with 11 conditions for the lithium producers, and the government can now give them export quotas,” the Minister said. “They can no longer export freely what they think they can export, in terms of volume, tonnage, export consignments, and so forth.”
He clarified that full export access will only resume after key beneficiation milestones are met.
“We can only open this after 1 January 2027. So for now, we give them export quotas, the rationale being to avoid disruptions associated with resource depletion while setting up beneficiation facilities, as expected by the government.”
Why the Ban Was “Softly Lifted”
The Minister explained that the decision to allow limited exports under quota was driven by the need to protect significant investments already made in the country.
“We based on those conditions to softly lift the ban so that we protect the investments that they have already put into the country after the government had approved those facilities.”
But he was unequivocal about what the ban was always intended to achieve.
“The purpose of the ban was to weed out unethical behaviours that were now mushrooming within the sector, and also middlemen that were coming in—briefcase companies and exporters being used by some producers to smuggle minerals out—to check under-declarations, stop mineral under-declarations, and improve mineral accountability.”
A Roadmap Agreed with Producers
Kambamura stressed that the new regime is the result of an agreement between the government and lithium producers.
“We are working well with the producers. We are in agreement on the roadmap to setting up proper beneficiation facilities, mandatory declaration of all minerals before export, and setting up other facilities to separate economic minerals within the export consignment of lithium prior to export.”
The 11 Conditions Remain in Force
The quotas are just one element of the 11 conditions issued to the Chamber of Mines on 7 April 2026. Other conditions include:
- Written commitments and timelines to establish lithium sulphate plants by 1 January 2027
- Mandatory publication of annual financial statements from December 2025 onward
- Full compliance with labour, safety, and environmental standards
- Establishment of assay laboratories at each producing mine within three months
- Monthly progress reports to a ministerial committee
A 10% export tax remains in place on lithium concentrate shipments until the January 2027 deadline takes effect.
Shares of Shenzhen-listed Chengxin Lithium reached the 10% daily price limit on Monday following the initial quota confirmation, while Sinomine Resource shares closed 6.6% higher.
The confirmation from Minister Kambamura puts to rest speculation about the status of Zimbabwe’s lithium export ban. The ban has not been fully lifted. It has been calibrated, replaced by a quota system that gives government control over volumes while protecting existing investments and enforcing a strict beneficiation timeline.
For the six large-scale Chinese producers, the message is clear: comply with the 11 conditions, meet the January 2027 deadline for lithium sulphate plants, and exports can continue under quota. Fail to comply, and the door remains closed.
For Zimbabwe, the arithmetic is equally clear: the era of uncontrolled raw mineral exports is over, replaced by a system designed to capture value, ensure accountability, and ensure the country’s lithium wealth works for its people.
