Zimbabwe has expanded its push for domestic mineral processing by banning the export of raw antimony and tungsten, months after restricting exports of lithium concentrates.
The government confirmed the new restrictions to the state-owned Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) in July, with the measures taking immediate effect. The policy is intended to encourage mining companies to process more minerals locally and retain a greater share of their economic value within the country.
Antimony is considered a critical mineral and is used in batteries, flame-resistant materials, electronics and certain military applications. Tungsten is valued for its exceptional hardness and heat resistance and is widely used in cutting tools, mining equipment, aerospace and defence applications.
The latest restrictions form part of Zimbabwe’s broader strategy to move away from exporting unprocessed mineral resources. The country is seeking to develop domestic processing capacity, create industrial opportunities and capture more value from its mineral wealth before materials enter international markets.
Zimbabwe previously halted exports of lithium concentrates in February as it sought to strengthen domestic processing and address concerns around the illegal movement of the battery mineral. The country holds Africa’s largest known lithium reserves and has been working to develop a domestic lithium value chain.
The policy has already begun shifting exports towards higher-value products. In April, Zimbabwe shipped its first consignment of lithium sulphate from the Arcadia lithium mine near Harare. However, authorities subsequently eased some restrictions to give producers and markets more time to adjust to the new processing requirements.
Before the policy shift, Zimbabwe’s lithium industry was largely centred on spodumene concentrate exports, meaning much of the refining and downstream value creation took place outside the country.
Zimbabwe is not alone in seeking to capture greater value from its mineral resources. Other African resource producers, including Guinea, Ghana and the Democratic Republic of Congo, are also introducing measures aimed at increasing domestic processing and strengthening local mineral value chains.
The expansion of Zimbabwe’s export restrictions reflects a wider shift across Africa towards treating mineral resources as the foundation for industrial development rather than simply commodities for export. For Zimbabwe, the challenge will now be building enough processing capacity, investment and infrastructure to ensure that the minerals banned from export can be competitively processed within the country.