Zimbabwe lithium producers have asked the government to delay a lithium
concentrate export ban due to take effect on Jan. 1, 2027, proposing a
postponement to March or June 2027, industry association chair Innocent Rukweza
said at the Zimbabwe Chamber of Mines annual meeting on June 18. The association
has filed appeals with the mining minister, the permanent secretary and the
Zimbabwe Minerals Marketing Corporation seeking roughly a five-month extension,
citing that most local lithium sulfate processing plants are not yet complete.
Of seven major producers, only Huayou Nickel Brand’s lithium sulfate plant in
Zimbabwe is built, operational and shipping product; Zhongkuang Resources’
Bikita mine and Yahua Group’s Kamativi lithium sulfate projects remain under
construction, and state-owned Sandawana’s processing plan is still at the
feasibility-study stage.
