Lithium miners in Zimbabwe are seeking more time to build processing facilities before a planned ban on lithium concentrate exports takes effect, highlighting the challenges facing the country’s push to move up the global battery minerals value chain.
Industry executives are asking the government to extend the January 2027 deadline to around mid-2027, arguing that ongoing projects need additional time to reach completion, according to comments made by industry representatives at a mining conference in Victoria Falls.
Reuters reported that the appeal was made by the country’s Lithium Producers’ Association, whose members are building lithium sulphate plants required under Zimbabwe’s beneficiation strategy.
The request comes as Zimbabwe intensifies efforts to ensure more of the value from its vast lithium resources remains within the country rather than being captured overseas.
Zimbabwe, Africa’s largest lithium producer, has spent the past four years tightening restrictions on exports of unprocessed lithium.
