Mining ZimbabweLatest Mining News, Policy and Industry Updates

THE Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe has elected new office bearers for the 2026–2027 term, with Mimosa Mining Company Managing Director Mr Fungai Makoni taking over as President and Falcon Gold’s Mr Qubeka Nkomo assuming the Vice Presidency, Chamber CEO Dr Isaac Kwesu has announced.

By Rudairo Mapuranga

The leadership transition was confirmed during the Chamber’s 26th Annual Mining Conference and Exhibition, currently underway in Victoria Falls, where delegates gathered under the theme “Unlock Value, Maximise Benefits, Sustain Growth”.

Mr Makoni, who previously served as Second Vice President under outgoing President Mr John Musekiwa of Zimasco, steps into the presidency at a critical juncture for the sector. A chartered accountant with 15 years of experience in the mining sector, he brings direct operational experience from Mimosa’s platinum operations and a track record in community development projects.

Mr Nkomo, who takes up the Vice Presidency, is the Chairman of the Chamber’s Gold Producers Committee and has extensive experience as Finance Director and Company Secretary at Falcon Gold Zimbabwe.

Mr John Musekiwa becomes the Immediate Past President.

Speaking at the conference opening, Dr Kwesu noted that the Chamber’s annual gathering has evolved into a premier mining event in the region. The conference is expected to shape policy formulation and industry strategies that promote the development, competitiveness, and growth of the mining sector in the medium to long term.

Over the past two days, the Chamber hosted a series of mineral-specific symposiums, including Coal, Oil and Gas, Gold, PGMs, Lithium, and Sustainability and ESG, providing platforms for robust discussions on opportunities, challenges, and policy innovations required to unlock growth across the various sub-sectors.

Mr Makoni’s appointment comes as miners navigate currency reforms following the March 2026 directive mandating ZiG payments to local suppliers, and efforts to boost beneficiation under the Government’s Vision 2030 mining targets.

His leadership is expected to focus on policy advocacy, investor confidence, and improving the operating environment for large-scale producers. As Zimbabwe targets US$7 billion in mineral revenue, the Chamber under Makoni is expected to push for stable policies, reliable energy, and infrastructure that support growth across the minerals value chain.

ZIMBABWE’S artisanal and small-scale mining sector must look beyond the glitter of the gold price and build a lasting legacy rooted in responsible practices, ethical operations, and community stewardship, Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) President Ms Henrietta Rushwaya has said.

By Rudairo Mapuranga

Speaking at the Chamber of Mines Gold Symposium, Ms Rushwaya painted a vivid picture of a sector at a crossroads – bursting with potential but shackled by financing constraints, a lack of working space, and the reality that 90 per cent of operators are currently working without proper tenure.

But amid the challenges, she celebrated a groundbreaking partnership between Mutapa Investments and Chegutu-based Magaya Mining as a template for the future – a consolidated mining framework that operates as a one-stop shop.

“Mutapa Investments have taken a lead with Chegutu-based Magaya Mining, and you’ve started a model which consolidates the sector through a consolidated mining framework, where everything is done under one roof, and it has become a one-stop shop,” Ms Rushwaya said.

“Well done to Mutapa Investments. You have become bigger, and yet there’s a model.”

She called on government and the private sector, including the Chamber of Mines, to create synergies that organise small-scale miners into productive teams and clusters, moving away from the fragmented and often informal operating environment.

Ms Rushwaya, herself a beneficiary of the government’s Gold Development Initiative Fund (GDIF) administered through Fidelity Gold Refinery, gave a compelling personal testimony of the facility’s transformative power.

“When I started mining, I used to produce plus or minus 25 to 30 grams every week. But I’ve actually grown in production exponentially to the extent that I’m now producing five kilograms of gold every month,” she revealed.

“That’s actually an upward trajectory insofar as mining is concerned. I’m one of the beneficiaries of the Government Gold Development Initiative Fund.”

She noted that the GDIF, introduced about five to six years ago, has enabled many small- to medium-scale miners to develop their mines, acquire yellow machinery, and access training, unlocking a wave of production that now accounts for more than 60 percent of national gold output.

Responsible mining is key to livelihoods

However, Ms Rushwaya cautioned that growth in output must be matched by growth in conscience. She urged miners to build a legacy that endures beyond the next gold price spike.

“I think as small-scale miners we need to prioritise ethical, environmental, and socially conscious practices. This goes beyond the price and the quality. It requires companies to evaluate how suppliers treat their workers, and it also needs to look at the impact on local communities and the effect on the environment across the entire supply chain,” she said.

“As a small-scale mining sector, I think responsible mining is key to our day-to-day livelihoods.”

Her message was clear: the sector’s long-term viability depends not on how much gold is pulled from the ground today, but on how responsibly it is extracted and on whether the communities and environments that host mining operations are left better off for generations to come.

Zimbabwe’s lithium industry, still in its infancy, is poised for exponential growth, with projections indicating the sector will generate a staggering US$3.2 billion in annual turnover by 2030, driven by aggressive beneficiation investments and the country’s strategic position as Africa’s leading lithium producer, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Rudairo Mapuranga

Presenting at the Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe Annual Conference in Victoria Falls, Lithium Producers Association chairman and Mutapa Energy Resources CEO Innocent Rukweza painted a picture of an industry that has weathered severe price volatility but remains resolute in its commitment to the “lithium story.”

“Up to 2030, according to our projections, the lithium industry will be registering a big turnover, based on lithium sulphate, in compliance with the beneficiation policy in NDS2 — US$3.2 billion. That will be our peak production or take-off in dollar value,” Rukweza told delegates.

The industry forecasts annual lithium sulphate production of 344,000 tonnes by 2030, marking a dramatic transformation from a sector that only emerged in 2022 following a surge in global lithium prices.

The lithium sector’s journey has been nothing short of tumultuous. Prices skyrocketed to a peak of US$86,000 per tonne in 2022, triggering a “huge influx of people coming in” and the consummation of most of the projects being discussed today. However, the industry experienced a precipitous decline that Rukweza described as “a decline that we’ve never seen before.”

“We reached our lowest points,” he recounted. “We got to a point where we had to retrench. There were project delays. We had to lay off people. We had a low price of US$14,300, down from US$86,000.”

Today, prices have stabilised at an average of US$22,000 to US$25,000 per tonne — “still a far cry from where we used to be” but indicative of a sector finding its footing.

US$3.4 billion already committed

Despite the price collapse, investment has remained robust. The industry has already deployed US$2 billion into completed projects, with an additional US$1.45 billion in projects coming online, earmarked exclusively for beneficiation in compliance with government policy.

“Together, we are talking about US$3.4 billion that has been on the table. What has been achieved is US$2 billion. And what is coming is US$1.45 billion,” Rukweza stated.

He emphasised that these figures exclude brownfield and greenfield exploration, suggesting the total investment could easily reach US$4 billion to US$5 billion. The new investments will focus on lithium sulphate plants, concentrator plants, and the recovery of trace metals from tailings.

Zimbabwe leads Africa’s lithium charge

Zimbabwe already stands as Africa’s undisputed lithium powerhouse. According to the African Energy Chamber’s State of African Energy 2026 report, the country produced well over 100,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) in 2024. By 2030, output is forecast to reach approximately 160,000 tonnes LCE, far ahead of Mali, the second-largest African producer, which is expected to reach close to 95,000 tonnes.

“Zimbabwe stands out as the clear front-runner among African lithium producers by 2030 as global demand for lithium accelerates, driven by electric vehicles and battery storage as the world transitions to clean energy,” the report noted.

The country’s lithium exports reached 1.13 million tonnes of spodumene concentrate in 2025, accounting for about 15 percent of China’s lithium concentrate imports. Mineral export earnings from lithium reached US$571.6 million in 2025, outperforming volume and revenue targets.

Beneficiation: The path to value

Under the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2) covering 2026 to 2030, the Government is prioritising the beneficiation of lithium concentrates into lithium salts. Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube has stated that the Government will phase out the export of lithium concentrates by January 2027 and support the production and export of lithium salts.

“NDS2 will prioritise the transition from the production of lithium sulphate to lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide production, which are critical inputs in battery manufacturing,” the strategy document states.

Already, Chinese firms have invested about US$2 billion since 2021 in Zimbabwe’s lithium mining sector, consolidating their grip on the global battery metal supply chain. Major players include Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt, which has completed its lithium sulphate plant, Sinomine’s Bikita Minerals, and Sichuan Yahua’s Kamativi lithium mines.

The lithium sector’s growth trajectory aligns with Zimbabwe’s broader Vision 2030 of attaining an upper-middle-income economy. The mining sector contributed US$5.6 billion to Zimbabwe’s GDP in 2022 and is expected to contribute US$20 billion by 2030.

Rukweza, who was recently appointed chairman of the Lithium Association of Zimbabwe, emphasised that the industry remains “committed to the story of lithium” and determined “to make it better than what it is as a collective.”

“This is an infant that is going to mature at one point,” he concluded, projecting a future where Zimbabwe’s lithium industry stands as a cornerstone of the national economy.

Lithium producers in Zimbabwe have made a passionate appeal to Government to extend the January 2027 deadline for the ban on lithium concentrate exports, warning that only one of the seven major players is currently ready to comply with the beneficiation requirement, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Rudairo Mapuranga

Addressing the Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe Annual Conference in Victoria Falls, Lithium Producers Association chairman Innocent Rukweza presented a united front from the industry, requesting “just a little bit of leeway” as producers race to complete lithium sulphate plants.

“It is a strong appeal that we are presenting to our regulators, the Permanent Secretary, the Reserve Bank, and everyone, the Minister of Mines, that we would kindly ask and request that we finalise the work that is going on and extend the beneficiation ban maybe to June next year or March, thereabout,” Rukweza pleaded.

The association’s analysis of the seven lithium players reveals a sobering reality: only one producer — China’s Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt — has completed its lithium sulphate plant and is already exporting.

Sinomine’s Bikita Minerals and Sichuan Yahua’s Kamativi lithium mines are in the process of building lithium sulphate plants, while the state-owned Sandawana Mine is conducting a processing feasibility study.

“All of us except one, we are not yet ready, or we are in the final stages of finalising the various lithium sulphate plants,” Rukweza explained.

The producers are not seeking to abandon beneficiation but rather requesting a pragmatic extension to ensure their multi-million-dollar investments can be completed without disruption.

“We remain, as an industry, committed to the story of lithium,” Rukweza emphasised, noting that the industry has already committed US$1.45 billion in projects “earmarked for nothing else but for beneficiation in compliance with government policy”.

The Government has been clear in its policy direction. In June 2025, Cabinet announced that Zimbabwe would prohibit the export of lithium concentrates starting in January 2027, as part of efforts to compel mining companies to establish processing and refining facilities within the country.

The policy aligns with Zimbabwe’s National Development Strategy 2, which prioritises the beneficiation of lithium concentrates into battery-grade lithium.

The industry has already experienced significant policy shocks. In February 2026, the Government accelerated its original timeline, imposing an immediate ban on raw lithium concentrates. Mines Minister Dr Polite Kambamura cited “unprecedented and unacceptable extraction of raw lithium ore as well as massive exports and stockpiling ahead of the 2027 deadline”.

“Disturbing reports further indicate that substantial quantities of our lithium have been illicitly stockpiled in a neighbouring country, depriving our nation of its rightful revenue and future industrial potential,” Kambamura said.

The Government subsequently introduced lithium concentrate quotas and imposed a 16 per cent tax on lithium concentrate exports.

Tax burden and operating costs

Producers are also grappling with what they describe as taxes that are “slightly on the high side” levied on the lithium industry. Rukweza presented a detailed analysis comparing royalty rates, export taxes, and levies across different minerals, appealing for reconsideration.

“We have compared the royalty that we are paying vis-à-vis the other sectors,” he noted.

The association has outlined an engagement timeframe to meet various stakeholders, including the Minister of Mines, the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe, the Minister of Finance, and the Reserve Bank.

“We would want to meet the Minister of Mines, the MMCZ, the Minister of Commerce, Finance and all that we have indicated there. This is our timeline. These are the areas where we think that, as an association, we would want to go through that process because we are still new even within the chamber,” Rukweza said.

The lithium sector finds itself at a critical juncture. Chinese firms have invested about US$2 billion since 2021 and dominate Zimbabwe’s lithium mining sector. The country exported 1.13 million tonnes of lithium-bearing spodumene concentrate in 2025.

Rukweza, recently appointed chairman of the Lithium Association of Zimbabwe, emphasised that the industry remains committed to beneficiation but requires a realistic timeline.

“We are sincerely also appealing that since we are very much at the beginning of the lithium cycle,” he said, urging regulators to consider the industry’s unique position as “a new kid on the block”.

The association has penned an engagement timeframe to address the issues raised and “to gain an insight and to be educated as well — it’s a two-way process”.

As the January 2027 deadline approaches, the question remains whether Government will grant the requested extension or hold firm on its beneficiation timeline, potentially forcing producers to curtail operations until their processing facilities are complete.

FutureCoal expanded its Africa chapter, betting that governments rattled by supply-chain disruptions will embrace the fuel as a pillar of energy security even as decarbonisation pressures persist, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Rudairo Mapuranga

Executive Chairman Mike Teke announced the move at the Zimbabwe Chamber of Mines Annual Mining Conference on Thursday, arguing that the recent reopening of the Strait of Hormuz should not obscure deeper vulnerabilities in global energy markets.

“The lesson for governments is not about a single shipping route; it is about ensuring countries have access to reliable domestic energy resources, resilient supply chains, and secure industrial capacity,” Teke said. “Energy security and affordability must come first.”

The chapter, initially launched in February 2025 with backing from producers in South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, now aims to represent coal-bearing nations across the continent. Its mandate covers coordinated lobbying on technology deployment, investment flows, and industrial policy.

Africa holds some of the world’s largest untapped coal reserves, yet has struggled to attract capital amid shifting environmental standards and policy fragmentation.

“Africa cannot afford fragmented voices anymore,” Teke said. “Investment, policy, supply chains, and technology are increasingly global.”

The push comes as major economies reinforce coal’s strategic role. India is advancing a $4 billion coal-gasification programme targeting 100 million tonnes annually by 2030, while disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz earlier this year drove several markets back to coal-fired generation.

In Zimbabwe, the expansion of Hwange Power Station’s Units 7 and 8 using high-efficiency, low-emission technology—alongside the rehabilitation of older units—illustrates the regional pivot toward cleaner coal applications. Zimbabwe is also exploring coal gasification and Coal-to-X pathways.

FutureCoal’s Sustainable Coal Stewardship framework underpins the expanded chapter, offering a roadmap for emissions reduction and responsible production without abandoning the resource.

“The issue is not whether coal exists, but how it is produced, used, and its negative impacts mitigated,” Teke said.

The organisation is now calling on African governments, industry players, and investors to join the chapter as the continent seeks to position itself as a stable supplier in an increasingly contested energy landscape.

…calls for greater exploration investment, saying vast underutilised mineral ground holds the key to future gold output growth.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, Dr Thomas Utete Wushe, has challenged Zimbabwe’s gold producers to intensify efforts to unlock an estimated six million hectares of prospective ground, saying the country’s geological potential provides a pathway for sustained growth in gold production, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Ryan Chigoche

Addressing delegates at the Gold Symposium during the Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe Annual Conference in Victoria Falls, Dr Wushe urged producers to look beyond current output levels and focus on expanding the country’s resource base through exploration and mine development.

“We challenged the gold producers just in the other room this morning. We said 50 tonnes, is it the best we can do? Considering that we have six million hectares of land that might be frozen for one reason or another, we need to make sure that we convert that six million hectares of possible positive geology into gold,” he said.

Dr Wushe said unlocking the dormant ground could significantly increase Zimbabwe’s production potential and strengthen the country’s position among Africa’s leading gold-producing nations.

“That can actually transform 100 times easily. And so we should go for that. We should aim for gold. We should aim to be the best.”

The call comes as Zimbabwe seeks to build on record gold production of 46.7 tonnes achieved in 2025 and maintain its standing among the continent’s major bullion producers.

While acknowledging the country’s strong performance, Dr Wushe said continued growth would depend on expanding exploration activities to identify new resources and develop the next generation of mines.

“We lost from, we were number two, slid slowly to three, four. I think if we don’t do anything about it, we might actually find ourselves number five, six.”

To accelerate that process, Dr Wushe announced that Zimbabwe will host its inaugural Exploration Indaba in Bulawayo on July 29, bringing together government, industry and academia to discuss strategies for unlocking investment and advancing mineral exploration.

“I can promise you that on the 29th of July in Bulawayo, there will be our inaugural indaba to dissect and shape the future of exploration in Zimbabwe. The government will be there in full force to support the chamber.”

The planned indaba comes as government places greater emphasis on exploration as a critical component of long-term mining growth, with new discoveries expected to replenish resources and support future production.

Dr Wushe noted that exploration and mine development are inherently long-term processes, but said they remain essential if Zimbabwe is to unlock the vast tracts of prospective ground currently lying dormant.

At the same time, he said the industry’s long-term ambitions must be supported by areas capable of delivering immediate production gains. In that regard, artisanal and small-scale miners continue to play a pivotal role, accounting for approximately 75 percent of gold deliveries to Fidelity Gold Refinery.

“Within the long game, there are pockets of opportunities for quick returns that will propel the long game. It’s a long game for sure, but within the long game, there are pockets of opportunities for quick returns that will propel the long game. So this is where we see the role for artisanal and small-scale miners. We want to call upon you to find those pockets of opportunities that will propel the movement of our mining industry into a giant transformational effort for Zimbabwe,” Dr Wushe said.

On the policy front, the Permanent Secretary reaffirmed government’s commitment to maintaining a conducive operating environment for mining investment.

• E-Cadastre System Set for Launch by Year-End, Says Dr Wushe

Zimbabwe’s long-awaited electronic cadastre (e-cadastre) system is on track to go live before the end of 2026, with the Government currently conducting live demonstrations and final testing as it moves to modernise the administration of mining titles.

Speaking at the sidelines of the Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe Annual Mining Conference in Victoria Falls, Ministry of Mines and Mining Development Permanent Secretary Dr Thomas Utete Wushe said the Government had brought the system to the mining industry to demonstrate its commitment to implementing a digital mining title management platform.

“We have come here to the Chamber to demonstrate that the Government is serious about moving to the next level as far as the e-cadastre system is concerned. Here at this conference, we are running a test run of the e-cadastre system. We have brought it to the mining executives and the wider mining community to say, come and see where we are now,” said Dr Wushe.

The e-cadastre system is expected to fundamentally transform the management of mining claims and titles in Zimbabwe, helping to eliminate longstanding disputes over claim boundaries, ownership and overlapping rights that have often created uncertainty within the sector.

Dr Wushe said the project has been years in the making and represents one of the most significant reforms in the country’s mining administration framework.

“Given the long journey we have taken in implementing and designing this critical system, we believe it will help us manage mining titles in Zimbabwe and bring a final end to conflicts and disputes regarding boundaries and titles,” he said.

The Ministry has already completed several critical stages of the project, including training surveyors and data capture personnel, while also working closely with the Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe and other stakeholders to address issues that had previously been identified as obstacles to implementation.

“We have trained the surveyors, we have trained the data capturers, and we have worked together with the Chamber, which has supported us in resolving issues that were seen as stumbling blocks,” said Dr Wushe.

He expressed confidence that the platform would be operational before the end of the year.

“I can assure you that by the end of the year the system will be up and running,” he said.

As part of the testing process, mining executives attending the conference are being given an opportunity to interact with the platform and assess its capabilities.

According to Dr Wushe, data for most large-scale mining companies has already been loaded onto the system, enabling users to view title information and understand how the platform will operate.

“Today we are conducting test drives, and these demonstrations will continue over the next three days. Mining executives will be able to see where their titles are because the data for large mining companies is already available on the system,” he said.

Dr Wushe added that approximately 60 per cent of the required data has already been uploaded and can now be viewed through the platform.

The next phase of implementation will focus on capturing and integrating data relating to small-scale and artisanal mining titles to ensure the system provides a complete national record of mining rights.

“When we complete the population of small-scale and artisanal mining titles, we will be ready to tell the Zimbabwean nation that the system is ready for use,” he said.

The e-cadastre system is expected to improve transparency, strengthen governance, reduce mining title disputes and enhance investor confidence in Zimbabwe’s mining sector, which remains a key pillar of the country’s economic development agenda.