HARARE – Zimbabwe is moving beyond lithium concentrate production and positioning itself for entry into the higher-value battery manufacturing industry, as the Government seeks to capture a larger share of the global electric vehicle and energy storage supply chain.
According to State media, Mines and Mining Development Minister Polite Kambamura says the country’s long-term objective is not merely to mine and process lithium, but ultimately to manufacture lithium batteries locally.
The remarks signal a strategic shift in Zimbabwe’s mineral development agenda, reflecting efforts to transform the country from a supplier of raw materials into a producer of value-added industrial products.
Minister Kambamura said the Government has made substantial progress in implementing its lithium beneficiation policy, which prohibits the export of raw lithium ore and requires mining companies to process the mineral domestically before export.
“We have made a lot of progress and we are happy that the companies have complied. We asked them to build processing plants and they have done that,” Kambamura said, according to State media.
He added that the beneficiation programme remains a work in progress, with policymakers continuing to refine the framework to maximise economic returns from Zimbabwe’s vast lithium resources.
“It’s an ongoing process which may see tweaks and adjustments here and there so that in the end we come up with what works best,” he said.
Zimbabwe possesses some of Africa’s largest hard-rock lithium deposits and has attracted billions of dollars in investment from international mining companies seeking to secure supplies of the critical battery mineral.
In recent years, the Government has increasingly emphasised beneficiation and local value addition as a central pillar of its mining strategy. The policy aims to retain more economic value within Zimbabwe through processing, industrialisation, job creation and technology transfer.
The establishment of lithium concentrators and processing facilities by major mining operators represents the first phase of that strategy. Battery manufacturing would constitute a significantly more advanced stage of value addition, requiring substantial investment in industrial infrastructure, technology, skills development and supporting supply chains.
Industry analysts note that while local battery production remains a medium- to long-term objective, Zimbabwe’s growing processing capacity provides a foundation for deeper participation in the global battery ecosystem.
Minister Kambamura acknowledged that the timing of Zimbabwe’s first locally produced lithium battery will largely depend on the pace of investment into downstream industries.
The country is seeking to attract investors capable of developing battery-grade material processing facilities and eventually manufacturing plants that can serve both domestic and export markets.
Global demand for lithium-ion batteries continues to expand, driven by accelerating electric vehicle adoption, renewable energy storage projects and broader electrification trends. This has increased competition among resource-rich countries to move beyond mineral extraction and secure a larger share of battery manufacturing value chains.
For Zimbabwe, the transition from lithium mining to battery production could significantly increase export earnings while supporting broader industrialisation objectives.
If successful, the strategy would position Zimbabwe among a small group of mineral-producing nations seeking to leverage critical minerals not only as export commodities but also as catalysts for advanced manufacturing and economic transformation.
