Zimbabwe lithium battery product introduction picture

Why should Zimbabwe invest in lithium?

As the holder of the largest lithium reserves in Africa, Zimbabwe must seize this opportunity to leverage the rising demand for the mineral. This can be achieved by developing a robust sector that attracts new investments and fosters skills development, thereby adding value to its lithium resources.

Why did Zimbabwe ban the export of unprocessed lithium?

Zimbabwe banned the export of unprocessed lithium ore last year to stop rampant extraction and smuggling of the mineral by artisanal miners. Now, miners are encouraged to go beyond the production of lithium concentrates, which are shipped for further processing outside the country, mostly to China.

Can Zimbabwe make lithium batteries?

For example, Zimbabwe might produce lithium but making the batteries require other components made from minerals that might not be available in Zimbabwe.

What is lithium mining in Zimbabwe?

Lithium mining in Zimbabwe is a relatively new phenomenon fueled by the reconfiguration of the global automotive industry in favor of EVs. There is thus very limited scholarly research on the extraction and export of lithium and indeed other CRMs.

Could lithium transform Zimbabwe's poverty?

The global demand for lithium, a mineral which is abundant across Zimbabwe, has raised hopes that its mining, beneficiation and export could transform the fortunes of millions of Zimbabweans who have suffered decades of economic under-development and poverty.

What are Zimbabwe's lithium resources?

Unlike in the so-called lithium triangle in South America where lithium is mined from salt pans along the borders of Argentina, Chile, and Bolivia, Zimbabwe’s lithium resources (and indeed across African countries) are largely made up of hard rock pegmatites rich in spodumene, lepidolites and petalites.