Zimbabwe Green Mining Association ZiGMA

Zimbabwe maintained a trade surplus in February, but the faster rise in imports, rising oil costs, and potential disruption to gold exports could tighten the position in the months ahead. Trade in Feb: 🟢 Exports rose 4.1% to US$1.01 billion, up from US$969.5 million in January. Imports grew faster, climbing 12% to US$963.1 million from US$859.6 million. 🟡 Gold remained dominant, making up 45.7% of total exports. Dubai was the top destination for exports, taking in US$468.4 million. This is mostly made up of gold shipments to the global trading hub, now facing disruption from the US-Israel war on Iran. ⛽️ On the import side, fuel and related products led at 18.6%, followed by machinery. This bill may rise as oil prices. 📊 Zim imported goods mostly from SA & China. Other main sources are Bahrain and Bahamas (oil imports)

🚨Mines Minister Polite Kambamura says Zimbabwe banned the export of lithium concentrates after detecting cases of under-declaration by some miners. This is where an exporter reports lower volumes or values of mineral shipments than they actually export, to avoid taxes and royalties. Lithium miners have been exporting processed lithium concentrate. Govt had given them until 2027 to upgrade further and produce lithium sulphate. In response, miners have been investing in new plants. Huayou Cobalt, which operates Prospect Lithium, has built a new sulphate processing plant due to open this year. But Govt says some miners have rushed to increase concentrate output just to beat the 2027 deadline. According to state mineral marketer MMCZ, Zim exported 1.128 million metric tons of lithium concentrate in 2025, up from 1.014 million tons in 2024. Zimbabwe earned $513.8 million from lithium (spodumene) exports in 2025, versus $514.5 million in 2024.

Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga is visiting the US$1.5 million lithium processing plant built by Chinese investor Zhe Li Mining Investments in Zvishavane and Sandawana Mines in Mberengwa, Midlands province. Chiwenga has already visited Zhe Li lithium processing plant and is now in a briefing at Sandawana Mines with government officials and mining managers. A historically significant producer of high-quality emeralds since 1958 that has transitioned into a massive, world-class lithium mining project, Sandawana is owned by Kuvimba Mining House now under Zimbabwe's Sovereign Wealth Fund, Mutapa Investment Fund (MIF). Mutapa Energy Minerals, an MIF unit, is rapidly expanding its portfolio, notably targeting a tripling of output at its Sandawana lithium mine. The company is partnering with Chinese firms to build a lithium concentrate plant, with construction starting in June 2026. Sandawana is undergoing a US$270 million, 2027-targeted expansion to develop a 600 000-ton annual capacity lithium concentration plant. The Zvishavane project is being implemented by Chinese investor Zhe Li Mining Investments and its new lithium processing plant will have the capacity to handle around 500 tonnes of ore daily. This comes at a time when the lithium sector is rapidly gaining momentum due to its strategic importance in the global renewable energy revolution, particularly in the production of batteries for electric vehicles and other renewable energy technologies. Government has banned the export of raw mineral ore and lithium concentrate, sparking a price hike in the global markets. With vast deposits of gold, lithium, platinum, diamonds and chrome, among other precious minerals, Zimbabwe is trying to maximise returns from its resources by prioritising processed exports over raw shipments. Zimbabwe supplies 10% of global demand and 19% of China lithium imports, making it a significant player as Africa's biggest producer. Famously known for over 40 years for producing high-quality emeralds with high chromium content and other beryl varieties, Sandawana has attracted investors from China, Britain and the United States. Recent explorations identified massive lithium-rich pegmatite veins, transforming the site into a major lithium asset with estimated resources potentially reaching 200 million tonnes, or even up to 600 million tonnes in total pegmatite across the 3 882-hectare site. It was taken over by Kuvimba Mining House in 2019 (65% state-owned) and is now under MIF after it took control of Kuvimba. The associated US$270 million lithium processing plant is being built in partnership with Chinese firms (Build-Operate-Transfer model) to boost production, with commissioning set for early 2027. The mine also holds deposits of tantalite, gold, and copper. Its shift to lithium is part of a broader strategy to boost Zimbabwe’s export value and support local processing of raw materials.

Sichuan Yahua Industrial Group Co. which runs the Kamativi lithium mine has started building a #lithium sulfate plant in #Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is trying to phase out the export of lithium concentrate in favor of a higher value sulfate product. mining.com/web/chinas-yah…

Zimbabwe’s Lithium Strategy Zimbabwe is asserting mineral sovereignty - shifting from raw exports to value-chain capture. With 126 million tons in reserves and a $15 billion ambition, lithium is being positioned as the engine of industrialisation under NDS2.

#2026MonetaryPolicyStatement Gold reserves Zimbabwe now has 4.2 tonnes of gold in reserve, up from 1.5 tonnes in April 2024. In 2022, Zimbabwe introduced a law compelling miners to pay part of their royalties in physical gold.

RBZ Monetary Policy: Exporters will continue to receive 30% of their export earnings in ZiG. However, there’s a change for small-scale miners, who supply the bulk of Zimbabwe’s gold. Previously, they were paid 100% in USD when selling gold to the RBZ’s Fidelity. Now, they will receive 90% of their payment in USD, with the remaining 10% in ZiG.

“With an income that soared to R59.79M in 2024, July Ndlovu’s career is one of SA’s most impressive mining success stories. But now, he’s ready for the next chapter.” PROFILE | How this Zim ‘Village Boy’ became one of SA’s top mine executives newzwire.live/profile-agains…

CNBC Africa reporting that the Central Bank of Ghana has extended its programme to buy domestically-produced #gold. The bank's gold reserves have increased by 22 tonnes since June 2023, to 31 tonnes. cnbcafrica.com/2025/ghana-sec…

Vast Resources is a British company. It mined diamonds in Zimbabwe. In 2010, there was a dispute with Zim govt, 129 400 carats of diamonds were taken from the company & kept at RBZ. 15 years later, the company got back ITS DIAMONDS. The “our minerals” gang, where are you? What do you learn from this story? It’s good that the govt resolved this matter, it’s matters like these that can SCARE MUCH NEEDED INVESTMENT. When we say Zimbabwe is OPEN FOR BUSINESS, it’s reflected in how such matters are handled. Harassing investors (local or foreign) is a path to poverty and economic downfall. Full story in comments

This week, the Russia-Africa Monitor looks into the connections of 'the Harvard of Russia' with Moscow's African networks. In addition, find more about: 🇳🇷 The Chechen connection, ⛏️ Russian mining in Zimbabwe, ⛴️ Shadow fleet arms smuggling, ... and much more! Link below 👇

I launched the Presidential Youth Empowerment Scheme under the theme "Fuel Youth: Ignite the Future." Supporting youth in agriculture, mining, and business is key to our nation’s prosperity. Let us build Zimbabwe’s future together! #YouthEmpowerment #FuelYouth #Zimbabwe

The 9th Gender and Extractives Symposium is underway. 🚨Zimbabwe’s mining sector is booming—but women are still being left behind. Despite their vital contributions, women remain locked out of leadership, stuck in precarious artisanal roles, and burdened by environmental damage, unpaid care work, and regressive tax policies. Meanwhile, profit shifting and opaque tax incentives rob Zimbabwe of vital revenues that could fund gender-responsive public services like healthcare, GBV support, and climate-resilient infrastructure. At the 9th Gender and Extractives Symposium, we say: it’s time to #AccelerateAction. We’re calling for: ✅ Transparent & fair taxation of mining revenues ✅ Equal participation and leadership for women in the sector ✅ Sustainable, climate-smart mining practices ✅ Support for women-led enterprises and small-scale miners By integrating tax justice with gender equality, we can turn mining into a true engine of inclusive development and environmental stewardship. @ZELA_Infor @ActionAidZim @ZIMCODD1 @zccinzim @tracymutoe #AccelarateAction #GenderAndExtractives2025 #TaxJusticeNow #JustTransition #WomenInMining #MiningReform

While the gvt stated that it revoked lithium exporting and tightly controlled mining of the precious stone, Raw lithium unprocessed has been seen by most locals from Bikita, mberengwa, Zvishavane, Goromonzi and many other looted from their various communities with zero environmental or community benifit, hundreds of trucks are loaded some exiting to nearest borders daily and this has become a common feature. Only the army has been licensed outside gvt to export yet on ground known private players are still exporting raw lithium out of Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe’s Gold Boom: Q1 Exports Surge 30% as Miners Reinvest Amid Record Global Prices Q1 2025 gold export earnings rose to US$396 million, up 30% from US$303 million in Q1 2024. March 2025 alone saw exports soar 89.7%, from US$82.1m to US$155.8m, driven by record gold prices and increased output. Gold prices have surpassed US$3,500/oz for the first time, attracting global investor demand. Major miner investments: 🔵Dallaglio: Revenues up 43% to US$223m, with US$28.5m planned capex for 2025. 🔵Caledonia Mining: Record profits; US$41m earmarked for Blanket Mine. 🔵Kuvimba Mining: US$38m for Freda Rebecca expansion; increased exploration at Shamva. Challenges remain: •Power outages cutting output by up to 10%. •Foreign currency retention policy (70% USD, 30% ZiG) seen as punitive; acts as a 12% tax on revenues.

Ghana earned $11.64 billion from gold exports in 2024, up 53.2% from 2023. The gold exports doubled Ghana's trade surplus to $4.98 billion in 2024. Ghana produced 4.03 million ounces of gold in 2023.

After years of falling production, strikes and underinvestment in its ageing plants, RioZim has announced the inevitable – it is selling its mines to a new investor newzwire.live/after-years-of…

Gems gleam on Day Two of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF). Come see our glistening precious stones and items at the MMCZ Pavilion. @MineralsMarket1 @ZELA_Infor #ZITF2024

Yesterday we had a productive discussion with Elaine French of @USEmbZim during a #ZITF2024 side session.We discussed opportunities for collaborative partnerships to create safer mining spaces for women and eliminate the rampant cases of child labor @ZELA_Infor #WomenMinersZim