Zimbabwe has issued a bold invitation to the global mining industry, urging investors to move beyond the extraction of raw minerals and establish manufacturing plants and industries within the country—a move set to transform the nation’s economic landscape, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Rudairo Mapuranga
The call was made by the Minister of Mines and Mining Development, Honourable Winston Chitando, during his keynote address at the prestigious China Mining Conference and Exhibition.
Under the theme “Zimbabwe: Africa’s Premier Mining Investment Destination – Partnership, Growth and Beneficiation,” Minister Chitando outlined a visionary path that positions Zimbabwe as a future hub for value-added production.
“We invite you to not just mine in Zimbabwe, but to manufacture and industrialise with us,” Minister Chitando declared, delivering the core message from His Excellency President Dr. E.D. Mnangagwa.
He stated that the government would no longer be content with being a mere exporter of raw materials, emphasising that the future of mining in Africa lies in moving down the value chain.
“This is where our partnership reaches its highest potential,” he said. “By investing in beneficiation, you secure a strategic advantage: access to raw materials at the source, transformed into high-value products for the global market. You are not just extracting value; you are creating it within Zimbabwe, creating jobs, and building an industrial legacy.”
The Minister pointed to the successful and thriving operations of major Chinese companies like Huayou Cobalt at Arcadia, Sinomine at Bikita Minerals, and Chengxin at the Sabi Star project as “the most powerful testimony” that Zimbabwe’s partnership model works.
He assured investors of a secure and profitable environment, highlighting the government’s efforts in streamlining licensing, strengthening legal frameworks, and maintaining a stable policy under the Second Republic.
The beneficiation strategy, he detailed, includes establishing lithium processing plants and battery material production facilities to power the global energy transition, expanding ferrochrome smelting capacity, and building value-added industries for platinum group metals (PGMs), gold, and diamonds.
Minister Chitando stated that Zimbabwe possesses the proven partnership model, the vast resources, and the political will to succeed. He invited potential investors to visit the Zimbabwe pavilion at the conference to examine a curated portfolio of bankable projects and to plan a visit to see the opportunities firsthand.
“The narrative is changing. The evidence is on the ground,” he said. “Join us, and together, let us build a legacy of partnership, growth, and industrialisation.”
