Chinese investor Sichuan Yahua Industrial Group Co. has begun constructing a lithium sulfate plant in Zimbabwe, aligning with Government’s aggressive push to end the export of raw lithium and concentrate.
The move comes as authorities suspend lithium concentrate shipments with immediate effect, declaring that export permits will now only be issued to companies with valid mining licences and approved processing capacity.
From Concentrate to Sulfate: A Strategic Shift
Yahua, which operates the Kamativi lithium mine in a joint venture with the Zimbabwean state, confirmed on the Shenzhen Exchange platform that it has started building a plant to manufacture lithium sulfate, a higher-value intermediate product used in battery-grade chemicals.
This becomes the third lithium sulfate facility being developed by Chinese firms in Zimbabwe, alongside projects by Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt Co. at Arcadia and Sinomine Resource Group at Bikita.
Zimbabwe has rapidly risen to become one of the world’s key lithium suppliers, accounting for nearly 10 percent of global mined supply last year, according to the US Geological Survey.
But Harare now wants more than just extraction.
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Zimbabwe Govt Draws a Firm Line: Raw Lithium Export Ban
Mines and Mining Development Minister Dr Polite Kambamura confirmed that export authorisations will only be granted to compliant companies with processing capacity.
The directive is part of a broader strategy to phase out lithium concentrate exports and promote beneficiation, ensuring Zimbabwe captures more value from its vast hard-rock lithium reserves.
The enforcement was immediate and visible.
At Forbes Border Post in Mutare, hundreds of haulage trucks loaded with lithium and chrome were turned back mid-transit. Authorities including the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) and the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) enforced the raw lithium export ban, creating congestion along the Mutare–Forbes highway.
Drivers with valid export papers were still denied passage. One truck driver, who was ferrying chrome from Mutorashanga said:
“I had all the export papers… but they said there are instructions to block us.”
Armed police monitored parked trucks as companies awaited further guidance.
Industry Reaction: “Protecting National Interests”
The Shipping and Forwarding Agents Association of Zimbabwe acknowledged the disruption but backed the policy direction.
Chief executive Mr Washington Dube said Government was taking deliberate efforts to protect national interests and signalled willingness to engage authorities on implementation going forward.
Zimbabwe’s approach mirrors trends across resource-rich Africa. The Democratic Republic of Congo has similarly tightened cobalt export controls to ensure more in-country processing.
Economic Stakes Are High
Lithium is a cornerstone of Zimbabwe’s mining boom under President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Second Republic.
Mineral export earnings have surged from roughly US$2.7 billion to over US$5.6 billion in recent years, with some reports placing revenues at nearly US$9.8 billion by 2023. Mining now contributes around 12–13 percent of GDP and more than 80 percent of export receipts.
Government argues that exporting raw lithium undermines long-term industrialisation.
By forcing investors to process locally, authorities expect more jobs, technology transfer, higher export earnings, stronger tax revenues and downstream battery industry opportunities.
What Happens Next?
Yahua says it expects to receive export permission within two weeks, believing the measures mainly target illegal shipments.
However, the message from Harare is clear: the era of raw mineral exports is closing.
Zimbabwe is betting that lithium beneficiation, not just extraction, will anchor its transition from resource exporter to industrial player in the global green energy value chain.
If fully implemented, this policy could redefine the country’s mining governance model and reshape its place in the global electric vehicle supply chain.
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