Zimbabwe’s exports of spodumene concentrate, an essential lithium-bearing mineral used in battery production, rose by 30% in the first half of 2025, even as global lithium prices remained subdued.
By Ryan Chigoche
According to official statistics from the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ), the country exported 586,197 metric tons of spodumene concentrate between January and June, up from 451,824 metric tons during the same period in 2024.
Global lithium prices have plunged nearly 90% over the past two years, largely due to an oversupplied market. Lithium’s fall has been particularly steep: after peaking above US$80,000 per tonne in late 2022, prices collapsed to just US$8,450 by June this year, marking a near-total retreat in under three years, according to data from Adamas Intelligence.
Despite the price slump, producers remain optimistic about the long-term outlook, driven by the continued global transition toward electric vehicles and renewable energy technologies.
MMCZ noted that the lithium market presented a “notable contradiction,” with prices falling while demand for the metal continued to rise. The agency added that prices are expected to recover in the medium term.
Zimbabwe, Africa’s leading lithium producer, has seen significant investment from Chinese companies such as Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt, Sinomine, Chengxin Lithium Group, Yahua Group, and Tsingshan. These firms have collectively poured over US$1.4 billion into acquiring and developing lithium assets in the country since 2021.
Looking ahead, Zimbabwe plans to halt the export of unprocessed lithium concentrates by 2027 in a move aimed at promoting local value addition.
Huayou, which exported 400,000 tons of lithium concentrate from Zimbabwe in 2024, has begun constructing a 50,000-ton-per-year lithium sulphate plant locally. Meanwhile, Sinomine has announced plans for a US$500 million lithium sulphate facility at its Bikita operation.
Lithium sulphate is a crucial intermediate material that can be further refined into battery-grade compounds such as lithium hydroxide or lithium carbonate—both vital for the production of electric vehicle batteries.
