- Bikita Minerals Restarts Lithium Concentrate Exports After Securing Licence
Bikita Minerals has resumed lithium concentrate exports after obtaining an export licence from Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Mines and Mining Development under the country’s new lithium export framework, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Ryan Chigoche
The company, a subsidiary of China’s Sinomine Resource Group, said the approval marks a key step in aligning its operations with Zimbabwe’s evolving mineral beneficiation policy while providing greater certainty for investors.
“Bikita Minerals has resumed lithium concentrate exports after securing an export licence from Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Mines and Mining Development under the country’s new lithium export framework,” the company said in a statement.
Bikita said the development reflects its commitment to responsible mining, regulatory compliance, and sustainable growth.
“The development marks a milestone in our commitment to responsible mining, transparency, and value addition,” Bikita Minerals said.
That milestone was hard-won. The resumption follows a recent government ban on lithium concentrate exports, imposed to force faster local beneficiation. However, after industry consultation and recognition that domestic processing capacity could not immediately absorb all output, Harare eased the ban into a quota-based system. Miners may now export a portion of their concentrate subject to annual licences, while remaining committed to building local processing plants ahead of a government deadline.
This policy shift has clarified the investment landscape. Zimbabwe, which hosts some of the world’s largest hard-rock lithium deposits, has been tightening controls on raw mineral exports as it seeks to build local processing capacity and capture more value from minerals critical to the global energy transition.
Against this backdrop, the company said it is advancing plans for a US$400 million lithium sulphate processing plant in Zimbabwe, with preliminary works already underway, ahead of the government’s 2027 deadline for ending unprocessed lithium exports.
The company added that its long-term strategy is centred on responsible resource extraction, community development, and supporting Zimbabwe’s economic transformation agenda through increased local processing of minerals.
