Online Reporter
In February this year, the Government banned the export of raw minerals, particularly lithium concentrates, in a move aimed at promoting local beneficiation, boosting value addition and getting the maximum possible value from the country’s mineral wealth. The policy is expected to accelerate industrialisation, create jobs, increase export earnings and strengthen Zimbabwe’s drive towards an upper middle-income economy by 2030. Zimpapers Reporter DEBRA MATABVU recently spoke to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, DR THOMAS UTETE WUSHE, who explained the rationale behind the policy and how it is expected to transform the country’s mining sector and support Vision 2030.
***************
Q: The mining sector remains a key pillar of the Zimbabwean economy. What is the ministry doing to ensure the sector contributes meaningfully towards the attainment of the country’s upper middle-income economy aspirations?
A: The mining sector is indeed the cornerstone of our national economy, contributing over 70 percent of export earnings and over 14,5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).
The ministry has put in place a comprehensive strategy to ensure the sector drives our Vision 2030 objectives. The foundation of our approach is the National Development Strategy 2 (2026-2030), which positions mining as a pivotal driver towards an upper middle-income economy.
Under this framework, we are implementing several key interventions.
First, we are strengthening our mineral resource base through enhanced exploration.
The ministry is capacitating the Mining Promotion Corporation and the Zimbabwe Geological Survey to undertake systematic exploration, develop bankable mineral projects and package them for competitive investment.
This ensures we have a robust pipeline of quantified mineral resources.
Second, we are modernising our regulatory framework through the Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill, which introduces strategic mineral designations, establishes a digital mining cadastre and enforces transparency in mineral rights administration. These reforms are critical for attracting responsible investment.
Third, beneficiation and value addition remain central to our strategy.
The February 2026 ban on raw mineral exports, particularly lithium concentrates, compels domestic processing and retains greater value within our borders.
Fourth, we are formalising the artisanal and small-scale mining sector, which now delivers over 60 percent of national gold output.
Small-scale gold mining is now a reserved sector for Zimbabwean citizens. We are deploying mining extension officers across every district, mirroring agricultural extension services, to provide technical support and enforce standards. Finally, through the Chamber of Mines, Zimbabwe Miners Federation and ongoing stakeholder engagement, we are ensuring policy coherence and industry alignment with national development priorities. These interventions are already yielding results, with the 2026 first-quarter mineral export revenue reaching US$2,37 billion, a 57,4 percent increase from the same period in 2025.
Q: The Government has set ambitious targets for mineral production and export earnings. How far has the sector progressed towards achieving these targets and what are the major drivers of growth?
A: The sector has made significant progress.
Total mineral export earnings for the 2026 first quarter reached US$2,37 billion, representing a 57,4 percent year-on-year increase from US$1,31 billion in the first quarter of 2025.
Gold remains our largest export earner, contributing approximately 58,4 percent of total mineral export revenue. Deliveries to Fidelity Gold Refinery reached 9 311,93 kilogrammes in the first quarter of 2026, an 8,3 percent increase, driven by record international gold prices.
The Gold Producers Association projects production surpassing 55 tonnes in 2026, with export earnings reaching US$5 billion.
PGMs (platinum group metals) recorded the strongest percentage growth, with revenue more than doubling to US$543,98 million, a 111,6 percent increase. This reflects both increased production and elevated international prices.
The Chamber of Mines projects PGM exports to reach US$2 billion in 2026.
Lithium demonstrated remarkable growth, with exports reaching US$183,99 million, a 109,2 percent increase from the first quarter of 2025.
The Lithium Producers Association projects the sector could achieve a turnover of approximately US$3,2 billion by 2030, premised on lithium sulphate production, in compliance with our beneficiation policy.
Key growth drivers include favourable international commodity prices; ongoing expansion; value addition and beneficiation projects at major mines including Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe, Bikita Minerals and Kamativi Mining Company; the revival of closed mines such as Red Wing and Mazowe; and policy reforms enhancing investor confidence. However, we acknowledge challenges in certain sub-sectors. Diamonds recorded a 23,5 percent revenue decline due to lower-grade ore processing at Marange and subdued global prices. Chrome production declined by 61,68 percent in the first quarter of 2026, highlighting the need for targeted investment in infrastructure and energy supply. While we are on track, sustained momentum requires coordinated action across investment attraction, regulatory efficiency and infrastructure development.
Q: Beneficiation and value addition have become central to Government policies. What concrete steps is the ministry taking to ensure that Zimbabwe derives maximum value from its mineral resources, in particular lithium, before export?
A: Beneficiation and value addition are non-negotiable pillars of our mineral policy.
Our approach is both regulatory and facilitative. For lithium, we have implemented a phased beneficiation strategy.
In December 2022, we banned the export of unprocessed lithium ore. In February 2026, we suspended the export of lithium concentrates, moving to enforce the next stage of value addition. From January 2027, only lithium sulphate, a product directly used in battery manufacturing, will be permitted for export. Major producers are aligning with this policy.
Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe and Bikita Minerals are establishing lithium sulphate processing plants. Mutapa Investment Fund will commence construction of a three-million-tonne-per-annum concentrator plant at Sandawana Mine by May 2026, with plans to progress to lithium carbonate production. Producers without refining capacity are being encouraged to enter into toll treatment agreements with those that have established facilities. Beyond lithium, our beneficiation framework covers all priority minerals.
The PGMs industry now processes concentrates locally, with adequate smelting capacity in place. The Fife Miles Industrial Park at Hwange represents a flagship coal beneficiation model, with over US$260 million invested in an integrated coke, power and cement complex, creating over 1 100 direct jobs.
We have also banned the export of all raw minerals and finalising the online export permit system linking the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ), the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ), as well as the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) ASYCUDA and weighbridge systems to strengthen monitoring of mineral exports and curb leakages.
Our goal is clear: Zimbabwe will transition from a primary commodity exporter to a competitive, industrialised mining economy anchored in domestic processing, downstream manufacturing and inclusive value chain development.
Q: The country continues to attract significant investment in strategic minerals such as lithium, gold, platinum and chrome. What policies and incentives are in place to sustain investor confidence while safeguarding national interests?
A: We have struck a careful balance between attracting investment and safeguarding national interests through comprehensive legal and policy frameworks.
Legal certainty: The Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill introduces a transparent, digital mining cadastre, eliminating opaque licensing systems and claim disputes.
Strategic minerals are clearly defined, with the minister empowered to declare certain minerals as strategic, providing regulatory clarity.
Incentive framework: The value addition and beneficiation framework offers enhanced capital allowances for beneficiation projects that simultaneously invest in embedded power generation. We are developing a differentiated industrial tariff framework providing beneficiation-intensive industries with stable, long-term energy pricing certainty.
Flexible SEZ model: There are special economic zones (SEZs) accommodating value-addition projects.
State participation: Government is coming up with a framework for State participation in mining projects.
Strategic mineral classification: On May 22, 2026, we issued a formal mineral classification system. Declared critical minerals include lithium, nickel, cobalt, PGMs, chrome and rare earth elements. Declared strategic minerals include gold, diamonds, iron ore and coal.
Export of any listed mineral in raw form is prohibited unless authorised under a conditional transitional plan.
Local content requirements: Technology transfer provisions require foreign investors to train and upskill a defined minimum percentage of Zimbabwean tradesmen, engineers and technicians annually.
Mandatory community shareholding thresholds are incorporated into all new SEZ licences.
This approach ensures that while we welcome investment, Zimbabweans benefit meaningfully from their God-given mineral resources.
Q: Illegal mining activities continue to pose challenges in some parts of the country. What interventions is the ministry undertaking to formalise artisanal and small-scale mining and curb illicit mining activities?
A: The Ministry of Mines and Mining Development is undertaking a comprehensive, multi-pronged strategy to formalise the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector and curb illicit activities. The interventions can be grouped into four key pillars: legislative and regulatory reform; training and licensing; enhanced enforcement; and stakeholder engagement.
A major part of the formalisation drive is the overhaul of the legal framework to make compliance easier and more accessible for ASM operators.
Mines and Minerals Bill: The ministry has gazetted the new Mines and Minerals Bill to modernise the mining regulatory framework.
This includes proposals to streamline claim registration and dispute resolution, potentially by removing pegging procedures from the Act and placing them under ministerial regulations.
Fee reductions: Cabinet has approved a review of mining licences, permits and levies, with a focus on reducing fees for artisanal and small-scale miners.
Fees are now pegged at a fraction of the rates paid by large-scale firms to lower the financial barrier to formalisation.
Digitalisation: The ministry is implementing a digital mining cadastre system to improve the tracking of mining titles.
This includes a new mandate requiring all claims to be submitted with survey-grade coordinates, a move designed to reduce boundary disputes and create a more transparent and reliable register. The ministry is also prioritising the professionalisation of the sector through a major training and certification drive.
A landmark proposal aims to train and license 600 000 artisanal and small-scale miners.
This programme is designed to equip miners with the technical expertise, safety awareness and operational discipline needed to reduce fatalities and encourage responsible practices.
Linking licences to training: The ministry is considering a proposal from the Zimbabwe School of Mines (ZSM) to make its “Certificate in Principles of Responsible Small-Scale Mining” a statutory requirement for holding a small-scale mining title. This would embed safety and training directly into the law.
ASGM Strategy: The Government has formulated an Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM) Strategy, which provides a framework of principles and policies to guide formalisation. This strategy focuses on environmental rehabilitation, mine safety enforcement and financial inclusion for miners.
The ministry is also cracking down on illegal operations and mineral leakages that cost the economy billions of dollars.
Combating smuggling: The Government is intensifying efforts to combat gold and lithium smuggling through a multi-pronged approach.
This includes strengthening monitoring at border posts, enhancing collaboration between law-enforcement agencies (ZRP Minerals Flora and Fauna and ZIMRA) and imposing stricter penalties on offenders.
Deploying security forces: In a decisive move, State authorities have deployed police to protect rivers and other environmentally sensitive areas from illegal riverbed mining, a practice that had been costing the country up to US$1 billion annually.
Equipment used in these operations has been confiscated.
Increasing inspectors: The ministry has acknowledged that the current number of inspectors is insufficient and is working to increase the inspectorate to monitor mining sites more effectively.
The formalisation effort is being supported by partnerships and collaborative initiatives.
Financial and market access: Fidelity Gold Refinery is playing a vital role in connecting ASM miners to formal markets through gold buying centres.
Government policies, such as allowing small-scale miners to retain 100 percent of their foreign currency earnings, have also been key in supporting the sector’s growth.
Partnership with surveyors: The ministry, through the Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF), has partnered with the Association of Mine Surveyors of Zimbabwe (AMSZ) to make surveying services more accessible and affordable for small-scale miners, ensuring they can comply with the new regulations.
International cooperation: Government is working with international partners like the planetGOLD Zimbabwe project to promote responsible mining practices, reduce mercury use and improve the sector’s overall sustainability.
The ministry is also learning from models in other African countries, such as Ghana, on how to embrace formalisation as a development strategy.
The ministry’s approach is a holistic one, seeking to bring a vital, but often dangerous, sector into the formal economy by creating a supportive regulatory environment, providing the skills miners need and enforcing the law against those who operate outside it.
Q: Communities in mining areas often raise concerns regarding environmental degradation and limited local benefits from mining operations. How is the ministry balancing mineral exploitation with environmental protection and community development?
A: We have made it unequivocally clear that Zimbabwe will not pursue growth at any cost.
Our mineral wealth must translate into tangible national development, community benefit and long-term environmental sustainability.
Enforceable obligations: Environmental impact assessments are not a formality; they are a legal requirement. Mine rehabilitation and closure obligations will be enforced without exception.
The Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill criminalises illegal tree cutting, with fines of up to Level 8 or imprisonment of up to three years for violations, and provides for escalating daily penalties for continued non-compliance.
Responsible mining initiative: We have conducted audits of 422 mines across all provinces and launched a second Responsible Mining Audit involving 12 ministries, departments and agencies.
We are working with partners such as WWF Zimbabwe to foster environmentally and socially responsible mining practices.
Safety, health and environment: We have introduced a 24-hour mining accident response call centre and conduct ongoing safety, health and environmental awareness campaigns, particularly targeting artisanal miners.
Community development
Community economic empowerment trusts: All new SEZ licences must incorporate specific shareholding thresholds reserved for communities and employees.
SME linkage programmes: Every SEZ must publish a domestic procurement plan identifying goods and services to be sourced from local SMEs, with compliance linked to SEZ licence conditions.
Rural development mandates: SEZs located in rural areas must incorporate rural infrastructure contributions, schools, clinics, roads and electrification as enforceable components of development agreements.
CSR framework: We are developing a unified corporate social responsibility (CSR) and ESG (environmental, social and governance) framework tailored to Zimbabwe’s mining context, with mandatory ESG reporting using a standard contribution-reporting template.
We are ensuring that mining communities are not merely spectators but active participants in and beneficiaries of mineral development.
Q: There has been increased interest in critical minerals required for the global energy transition. How is Zimbabwe positioning itself to benefit from growing international demand for these minerals?
A: Zimbabwe is uniquely positioned to benefit from the global energy transition.
We hold Africa’s largest lithium reserves, the world’s second-largest platinum and chrome reserves, and possess 17 distinct types of rare earth elements.
We are strategically positioning ourselves through the following measures:
Critical mineral classification: On May 22, 2026, we declared lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite, copper, rare earth elements, chrome, PGMs, manganese, antimony, uranium, ruthenium, tungsten and niobium as critical minerals. Metallurgical coal is declared a special critical mineral.
This classification enables targeted policy interventions and State participation through special purpose vehicles.
Beneficiation mandate: No person may export any listed critical mineral in raw or unbeneficiated form unless authorised under a conditional transitional plan with a specific timeline for local beneficiation beyond the concentrate stage.
Diversified partnerships: Zimbabwe is pursuing diversified partnerships with the West, China and the Global South, guided by national interest rather than ideology.
This approach allows us to negotiate better terms, including technology transfer and infrastructure development.
Strategic leverage: With the US (United States) and EU (European Union) actively seeking to diversify supply chains away from China, Zimbabwe has become a source country with strategic leverage.
The US$12 billion critical mineral reserve announced by the United States and similar initiatives by the European union present opportunities for Zimbabwe to secure more favourable terms.
Value chain participation: Beyond extraction, we are building capacity in processing and refining.
The Sandawana lithium project, Bikita Minerals and Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe are all advancing beneficiation infrastructure.
Global demand: Global mineral demand remains robust, underpinned by the energy transition, infrastructure investment and industrial recovery.
Platinum is projected to sustain above US$2 000 per ounce (oz), palladium continues its outperformance and rhodium remains resilient above US$10 000/oz.
We are not merely extracting minerals; we are building an industrial base that will power Zimbabwe’s transformation into an upper middle-income economy.
Q: Access to geological data, modern technology and financing remains a challenge for many miners. What programmes is the ministry implementing to improve productivity, efficiency and competitiveness across the sector?
A: We recognise that access to geological data, technology and financing are foundational to mining sector competitiveness.
The ministry is implementing comprehensive programmes across these three pillars.
Strengthening geological survey: Under NDS2, the Zimbabwe Geological Survey is being capacitated to generate, archive and share geoscientific data for mining, geological mapping and exploration.
This includes dedicated funding mechanisms for early stage exploration.
Computerised mining cadastre: We are rolling out the Computerised Mining Cadastre Information Management System (e-Cadastre), which will enhance transparency in mining title acquisition and reduce disputes.
The system is on track to go live before the end of 2026.
National Mineral Research Centre: We are establishing the National Mineral Research Centre at the University of Zimbabwe, with a network of capacitated laboratories across universities and the Zimbabwe School of Mines, to provide bankable feasibility studies, mineral certification and quality assurance.
Technology transfer provisions: Every major value-addition project includes enforceable technology transfer provisions requiring foreign investors to train and upskill Zimbabwean engineers and technicians annually.
Mobile training programmes: In partnership with the Zimbabwe School of Mines, we are delivering mobile mining schools directly to mining hubs across provinces, focusing on safety, productivity and regulatory compliance.
Equipment access: Through partnerships with companies like Magaya Mining and Mutapa Gold Resources, we are facilitating access to compressors, machinery and technical expertise for artisanal and small-scale miners.
Mining Industry Loan Fund (MILF): The MILF provides financial assistance and equipment to small-scale miners.
VFEX listing: Mining companies can list on the Victoria Falls Stock Exchange, improving capital access, governance transparency and domestic shareholder participation.
Mandatory local banking: All mineral export proceeds must be routed through local financial institutions, strengthening the domestic financial system’s liquidity base for long-term lending.
These interventions are designed to ensure that every miner, from artisanal to large-scale, has the tools, knowledge and capital to contribute to our shared national vision.
Q: Looking ahead, what do you consider to be the biggest opportunities and challenges facing Zimbabwe’s mining sector?
A: The opportunities before us are immense, but so are the challenges.
Zimbabweans can expect from this ministry bold, decisive and accountable leadership.
Opportunities
Critical mineral super-cycle: Zimbabwe is uniquely positioned to supply the global energy transition with lithium, PGMs, chrome and rare earth elements.
We can supply up to 20 percent of global lithium demand.
With policy consistency and improved infrastructure, we can evolve from resource-rich to strategically important supplier in global value chains.
Beneficiation and industrialisation: The value-addition agenda offers the most significant opportunity for job creation, skills development and economic diversification.
The Fife Miles Industrial Park, Manhize Steel Plant and lithium processing projects demonstrate what is possible.
Formalisation of artisanal mining: With over 60 percent of gold coming from ASM, formalisation represents an opportunity to increase production, curb leakages and improve livelihoods.
The extension officer model will transform this sector.
Regional and global positioning: Zimbabwe’s engagement and re-engagement strategy, diversified partnerships and membership in SADC (Southern African Development Community) and the African union position us to benefit from the Africa Mining Vision and continental integration.
Key challenges
Reliable and affordable power: Energy remains the most binding single constraint.
Projected power demand growth from 750 megawatts (MW) to 880 MW by 2026 requires urgent investment in embedded generation, renewable energy and coal-to-power integration.
Infrastructure deficits: Bulk commodities rail transport corridors, road networks and water infrastructure require significant investment to reduce unit costs of processed mineral outputs.
Capital constraints: Domestic financial sector limitations, elevated country risk perceptions and lack of a dedicated development finance institution constrain the scale of beneficiation investment required.
Environmental sustainability: Balancing rapid mineral exploitation with environmental protection and community benefit remains a persistent challenge.
Expectations
Policy coherence: We will finalise the Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill, implement the Value Addition and Beneficiation Framework and operationalise the Computerised Mining Cadastre.
Beneficiation momentum: We will enforce the ban on raw mineral exports and ensure that by 2027, all lithium exports are processed to sulphate level at minimum.
Formalisation and inclusivity: Mining extension officers will be deployed nationwide and community shareholding in mining operations will become standard practice.
Job creation and industrialisation: We project a mining sector contributing foreign currency, directly and indirectly employing hundreds of thousands and driving Zimbabwe towards upper middle-income status by 2030.
The pathway is clear.
With collective effort, Zimbabwe’s mineral wealth will indeed translate into prosperity for all.
