TIANJIN, CHINA — September 11, 2026 — Mines and Mining Development Minister Dr (Eng) Polite Kambamura is leading Zimbabwe’s delegation at the 28th China Mining Conference and Exhibition (CHINA AFRICA MINING 2026), where governments, mining companies and investors are discussing the future of global mineral supply chains, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
Kelvin Sungiso
The conference opened on September 10 at the Tianjin Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Center and is being held under the theme “Win-win Cooperation, Green and Intelligent Development.”
Minister Kambamura is attending at the invitation of China’s Minister of Natural Resources, Guan Zhi’ou. The conference opened alongside the Ministerial Forum on International Mining Cooperation, which this year is focused on “Forging a Mutually Beneficial Mining Industrial and Supply Chain.”
The opening brought together 33 ministers and representatives from 60 countries, as well as mining executives, investors, financiers and technical experts, highlighting the growing importance of international cooperation in securing mineral supply chains.
China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, delivered the keynote address.
In his remarks, He highlighted China’s cooperation with mineral-rich countries and pointed to Zimbabwe as one of the examples of what such partnerships can achieve.
He specifically referenced developments in Zimbabwe’s lithium sector, citing Bikita Minerals and Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe.
The two operations have become important components of Zimbabwe’s drive to move beyond the export of unprocessed mineral concentrates and develop greater domestic value addition.
Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe, which operates the Arcadia lithium mine in Goromonzi, dispatched Zimbabwe’s first export of locally produced lithium sulphate in April 2026. Bikita Minerals, in Masvingo Province, is also developing a lithium sulphate plant as it expands its downstream processing capacity.
The developments come as Zimbabwe seeks to capture more value from its mineral resources.
