Zimbabwe Emerges as Top Lithium Producer in Africa
In a statement issued by the Minerals Marketing Corporation, Zimbabwe is now the top lithium producer in Africa with exports reaching 1.128 million tonnes in 2025, representing a 11.2% year-on-year increase. However, export revenues fell slightly from USD 514.5 million to USD 513.8 million due to a decline in the price of #lithium on the global market.
The bulk of the lithium from Zimbabwe is exported to China, because lithium is one of the #CriticalMinerals — along with cobalt, manganese, and nickel — that go into the production of rechargeable batteries used in smartphones, electric vehicles (#EV), and energy storage systems (#ESS). Zimbabwe exports lithium ore mostly in the form of concentrated spodumene, but the Government is encouraging companies to move up the value chain.
China is the largest importer of lithium concentrates and intermediates, and it is also the largest producer and exporter of lithium-ion batteries. Some experts estimate that China refines nearly 70% of the lithium minerals in the world and accounts for 85% of the global lithium-ion battery production. In the case of the Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) chemistry, China has achieved near complete monopoly with 98% of the global market share.
(Source: Bloomberg)
The price of spodumene has experienced wild swings ride during the past few years. After a high of USD 6,000 per tonne in 2022, it dropped sharply to just USD 610 per tonne in June 2025. Then, it rebounded to USD 2,000 per tonne at the start of 2026.
The Zimbabwean Government is encouraging these firms ot carry out more Local Value Addition (#LVA) and to produce battery-grade lithium hydroxide or carbonate, and eventually to produce the batteries locally, with policies gradually moving in that direction. As a matter of fact, Zimbabwe plans to ban the export of lithium concentrates as of 2027.
(Source: Bloomberg)
In fact, Chile exports most of its lithium in the form of lithium carbonate to China. Comparing like with like, Chile exported 151,800 tonnes of lithium carbonate in 2025, while Zimbabwe exported 46,500 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE).
In that regard, Huayou is building the first lithium sulphate plant in Zimbabwe, and the plant is expected to become operational in 2026. Huayou invested some USD 400 million in the project. Other than Zhejiang Huayou, the lithium mining is dominated by Chinese firms such as Sinomine, Chengxin Lithium, Sichuan Yahua, Eagle Canyon, and Pacific Goal. The Government of Zimbabwe expects these lithium miners to follow suit in line with its policy to promote #LocalBeneficiation and #LocalContent.