THE recent ban on exports of raw lithium ore and unpurified lithium salts is in line with the country’s value-addition and beneficiation thrust which seeks to ensure that Zimbabwe derives maximum economic benefits from its natural resources.
Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Mining Development, Cde Edmond Mkaratigwa, said this in an interview in which he clarified that the ban was one of the control measures meant to ensure there is full accountability of natural resources leaving the country.
Lithium is fast gaining popularity across the world as a critical mineral in the manufacturing of batteries mainly for electric cars, whose demand is rising especially in developed countries.
Zimbabwe has one of the largest lithium reserves in Africa and the fifth-largest worldwide. Scaling up domestic value addition and beneficiation is at the heart of the Government’s strategy to grow mining sector earnings to US$12 billion by end of this year.
Already the country is attracting foreign direct investment into lithium exploration and mining with projects such as the Arcadia project near Harare, the Zulu Lithium project in Insiza District, Matabeleland South, and Kamativi in Hwange District underway.
Recently, President Mnangagwa presided over the ground-breaking ceremony for a new US$130 million lithium mine in Buhera District, which is set to produce 300 000 tonnes of the mineral a year and employ more than 900 Zimbabweans.
“Government plans to beneficiate lithium and we are advancing the idea, which will be implemented soon,” said Cde Mkaratigwa.
He said Government has banned the export of lithium ore so that measures are put in place to ensure accountability and it also wants to ascertain the correct market value of the mineral.
“Government wants to find out if it is getting real value from the mining of lithium and the long term strategy is to value-add and beneficiate the mineral as opposed to exporting ore,” said Cde Mkaratigwa.
The massive growth of mining investments under the Second Republic is creating thousands of jobs while the steady increase in precious minerals output is enhancing economic stability. – The Chronicle
