Zimbabwe targets ban on multi-mineral ores

Zimbabwe has suspended the export of raw minerals and lithium concentrates in a decisive move aimed at curbing the smuggling and misdeclaration of valuable mineral resources while strengthening the country's drive toward local value addition and beneficiation.

Authorities say the measure was prompted by growing concerns that multi-mineral ores were being deliberately misdeclared as single, lower-value minerals in order to bypass export restrictions, evade taxes and conceal the presence of higher-value elements embedded in the same consignments. By halting such exports, Government intends to ensure that Zimbabwe fully benefits from its mineral wealth through accurate declarations and local processing.

Last week, Polite Kambamura, the Minister of Mines and Mining Development, directed the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority and the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe to immediately suspend exports of all raw minerals and lithium concentrates, including shipments that were already in transit but had not yet left the country's borders.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development Pfungwa Kunaka said the suspension applies broadly to all minerals and was not limited to lithium. He explained that the directive was intended to close loopholes that allow exporters to misclassify mineral consignments.

"Our ores are multi-mineral in nature and bear more than one element. Therefore, the suspension will enable us on a whole-of-Government basis to ensure our policies and measures are complied with, particularly our thrust on value addition and beneficiation of our minerals," Kunaka said.

Zimbabwe's mineral ores frequently contain several valuable elements within a single deposit. For instance, lithium-bearing pegmatites can also contain tantalum and tin, while platinum ores may carry nickel, copper and other by-products. If such ores are exported in raw form and declared as a single mineral, the country risks losing significant revenue from undeclared elements.

Through beneficiation, minerals are processed locally using techniques such as crushing, milling, flotation and chemical separation. These processes isolate individual minerals, allowing them to be quantified, taxed and sold at higher market value instead of being exported in bulk at discounted prices.

Kunaka said Government is strengthening enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance with the export suspension and broader beneficiation policy. Exporters will now be required to provide proof of mining title, documentation confirming mineral composition testing, weight verification and other regulatory approvals before any shipment is cleared.

Laboratory testing capacity is also being enhanced to ensure that mineral consignments are properly analysed. Geochemical and metallurgical testing will determine the exact mineral composition of exported materials, while weight verification will help prevent under-declaration of tonnage, a common method used to reduce tax obligations.

The strengthened inspection regime is expected to close loopholes that previously allowed smuggling, under-invoicing or misclassification of high-value minerals at export points.

More than US$1 billion has already been invested in lithium processing and beneficiation plants across Zimbabwe in recent years, with several facilities expected to begin operations in the near future. These investments are part of Government's strategy to build domestic processing capacity so that minerals can be exported as higher-value products rather than raw ores.

Announcing the measure, Kambamura said the decision was taken in the national interest and forms part of a broader Government push for transparency, accountability and value addition within the mining sector. He said only mining companies holding valid mining titles and approved beneficiation plants will be authorised to export minerals under the new framework.

Regulators have also been instructed to deny export clearance to any consignment that lacks valid permits and complete documentation.

The latest move builds on earlier efforts to enforce a blanket ban on raw mineral exports. In January, authorities launched an investigation after Zimbabwean mineral ores were discovered stockpiled at the Port of Beira amid suspicions that they had been smuggled out of the country in violation of export regulations.

At the time, George Charamba, Deputy Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet responsible for Presidential Communications, said Emmerson Mnangagwa had ordered an immediate investigation.

Charamba reiterated that Government had already imposed a blanket ban on the export of mineral ores in order to promote domestic value addition, with lithium initially exempted while beneficiation infrastructure was being developed.

The policy has been linked to ongoing investments at major lithium projects such as Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe in Goromonzi and Bikita Minerals in Masvingo Province, which are expected to play a central role in the country's lithium beneficiation drive.

Mnangagwa has repeatedly urged the mining industry to prioritise value addition, noting that while minerals account for more than 60 percent of Zimbabwe's export earnings, exporting raw ores significantly limits the sector's contribution to industrialisation and economic development.

Authorities believe the tighter controls will ensure that Zimbabwe captures the full value of its mineral resources while strengthening transparency and accountability across the mining value chain.