COMMENT: Beneficiation policy must be enforced now

GOVERNMENT should this year ensure each and every mining company starts a programme to invest in value addition and beneficiation of the country’s minerals.

The Government has said value addition and beneficiation of minerals is not negotiable so those companies that cannot invest in value addition and beneficiation should stop exploiting our minerals.

The companies have been given ample time to prepare for value addition and beneficiation and its now time to enforce the policy to enable the country to derive maximum benefits from its minerals.

The recent surge in lithium discoveries, as already stated by the Government, must be supported by robust value addition and beneficiation as opposed to exporting lithium ore or spodumene.

We totally agree with the Government’s position that extracting and exporting raw minerals should stop forthwith. The country should ensure sustainable exploitation of these resources which should be bequeathed to future generations.

Zimbabwe needs to produce finished products from its minerals and other natural resources so that it does not only realise more from these resources but also create jobs for its citizens.

Western countries have over the years been using raw materials from developing countries like Zimbabwe to produce finished products which they sold back to developing countries at their own prices and this cannot be allowed to continue.

Government in a bid to persuade companies to invest in value addition and beneficiation, has even made an undertaking to provide additional incentives to companies that respond positively to its calls to produce finished products.

The period to persuade companies is over and what is required now is to enforce the policy on value addition and beneficiation.

The mining companies and all other investors exploiting the country’s natural resources, we want to believe, realise the importance of value-addition and beneficiation to Zimbabwe’s modernisation and industrialisation programme.

Government has said the mining sector transformation should be anchored on technological advancements and aligned to the global shift towards renewable energy sources.

Minerals such as gold, platinum and lithium play a key role in modern industries including the production of smartphones, electric vehicles and renewable energy systems.

Zimbabwe is among the leading world producers of lithium which has the potential to leapfrog its industrialisation and modernisation programme.

The automotive industry is shifting towards electric cars that use lithium-ion batteries. Lithium is therefore a key component in the manufacture of electric vehicle batteries and as such demand for lithium is expected to grow significantly in the coming years.

There is therefore a need to push harder for value addition and beneficiation of lithium and other minerals.
The country, as already stated, cannot afford to continue exporting raw minerals to benefit Western countries.