Online Reporter
Trust Freddy-Herald Correspondent
THE University of Zimbabwe has started developing the country’s first National Minerals Research Centre, a strategic institution expected to anchor Zimbabwe’s beneficiation and value-addition agenda following Government’s recent ban on the export of unprocessed minerals and lithium concentrates.
The university has since completed and submitted its full technical proposal to the Government for the establishment of the centre, which is expected to become the country’s principal hub for research, technology development and innovation in the processing of strategic minerals.
The project, which has already received Cabinet approval, is envisaged as a key pillar in Zimbabwe’s efforts to move up the minerals value chain and maximise returns from its vast mineral resources.
Once operational, the National Minerals Research Centre will focus on research and technology development for energy and strategic minerals, including lithium, uranium and rare earth elements.
The institution will support the development of local mineral processing technologies, undertake advanced scientific research, train specialists and provide technical solutions required to support domestic beneficiation and mineral-based industrialisation.
The centre is also expected to facilitate collaboration between Government, academia, industry and investors, helping to bridge the gap between scientific research and commercial mineral processing.
University of Zimbabwe Vice Chancellor Professor Paul Mapfumo said preparatory work for the project was progressing well following Cabinet approval.
“First, I want to thank the Government of Zimbabwe and His Excellency, our Chancellor, for honouring us with the hosting of this National Minerals Research Centre,” said Prof Mapfumo.
“This work is approved by Cabinet. It is a recent development and what we are doing now is the preliminary work. We are preparing the documents and plans, and we have completed our full proposal, which has now been submitted to Government.”
He said although construction had not yet started, significant groundwork had already been completed.
“It is a little too early to talk about seeing things on the ground, but the background work is ongoing and we are happy with the progress. We have met our target deadline for submission of the full scope of this centre.
“Once that is approved, we move to the next stage, which is the acquisition of critical equipment and the construction of infrastructure associated with the establishment of the centre.”
The establishment of the centre comes at a time when Zimbabwe is accelerating efforts to derive greater value from its mineral wealth.
For decades, the country has exported large volumes of raw and semi-processed minerals, earning only a fraction of the value ultimately realised after further processing and manufacturing in foreign markets.
While the exports generated foreign currency, much of the potential value, employment creation, industrial activity and technological development accrued to countries undertaking downstream processing.
Government’s recent ban on the export of raw minerals and lithium concentrates is intended to reverse that trend by encouraging investment in local processing facilities and creating mineral-based industries capable of producing higher-value products for domestic and export markets.
The National Minerals Research Centre is expected to play a central role in this transition by generating the scientific knowledge, technologies and technical expertise required to support beneficiation and industrialisation.
Mining remains one of Zimbabwe’s most important economic sectors, contributing approximately 14 percent of Gross Domestic Product and more than 70 percent of export earnings in 2025.
The sector is experiencing renewed growth driven by rising global demand for strategic minerals such as lithium, rare earth elements and chrome, which are critical inputs in the manufacture of batteries, renewable energy technologies and advanced industrial products.
