Zimbabwe escalated a phased lithium export control regime, moving from a 2022 ban on raw ore (Statutory Instrument 213 of 2022) to an indefinite, immediate suspension of all raw mineral and lithium concentrate exports on 25 February 2026 — ten months ahead of a previously planned January 2027 concentrate ban. The government says the acceleration targets smuggling and mineral leakage while forcing miners to build domestic lithium sulphate processing capacity. Three Chinese-led refinery projects (Huayou Cobalt’s Arcadia mine, Sinomine’s Bikita Minerals, and others) are central to whether the beneficiation strategy succeeds.
Policy Details
What Changes
Progression from Dec 2022 raw-ore export ban to an immediate, indefinite Feb 2026 suspension of all raw mineral and lithium concentrate exports (including cargo already in transit), compressing the planned Jan 2027 concentrate ban timeline by ~10 months. Miners must now convert spodumene to lithium sulphate domestically before any export is permitted.
Who Is Affected
All lithium miners/exporters, incl. Sinomine's Bikita Minerals, Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt's Arcadia/Prospect Lithium, Chengxin Lithium's Sabi Star, Canmax's Kamativi project
Why It Matters
Government cites documented mineral leakage, smuggling and under-invoicing (stockpiles reportedly found at Beira port, Mozambique), plus a strategic push to capture midstream chemical-processing value domestically rather than export raw feedstock
Expected Impact
Removed an estimated 100,000-180,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent from global export supply overnight, shifting the 2026 market into structural deficit and pushing prices higher; accelerates capital deployment into in-country sulphate plants
Risks / Uncertainties
Stranded ore inventories where processing capacity is not yet built; investor pushback given depressed lithium prices since 2023; inconsistent enforcement; only one operator (Huayou/Arcadia) has a fully commissioned sulphate plant as of mid-2026
What Happens Next
Track completion/ramp-up of sulphate plants at Bikita, Sabi Star and Kamativi through 2026-2027, and whether the full concentrate export ban still lands in January 2027 as announced
Commercial Opportunity
EPC and equipment supply for lithium sulphate/hydroxide plants, chemical reagent supply, power and water infrastructure for processing sites, and logistics for sulphate exports via Beira/Maputo corridors
Procurement & Contract Outlook
Commercial Opportunity Intelligence
Analyst Notes
Statutory Instrument 213 of 2022 (original raw-ore ban) remains in force alongside the Feb 2026 directive; not a repeal but an escalation