Zimbabwe Enforces Immediate Ban on Raw Lithium Exports, Trucks Turned Back at Border

Zimbabwe has begun enforcing an immediate ban on the export of raw minerals and lithium concentrates, turning back trucks at the Forbes border post with Mozambique. The government says the move is in the national interest and aims to ensure the country benefits more from its vast lithium reserves by promoting local processing, creating jobs, and increasing revenue instead of exporting raw materials mainly to China.

Trucks transporting lithium were turned back on Thursday at one of Zimbabwe’s busiest border crossings after authorities began enforcing a newly announced ban on the export of all raw minerals and lithium concentrates, according to state-run media reports. The sudden enforcement left several transporters stranded as officials moved swiftly to implement the directive.
The export ban, which was announced on Wednesday, was introduced in what authorities described as the “national interest” and took immediate effect, Mines Minister Polite Kambamura said at the time. The decision signals a significant shift in Zimbabwe’s mineral export policy, particularly in relation to lithium, a resource that has grown in global importance over recent years.
Access to rare earth elements and other strategic minerals has become a major global priority due to their essential role in manufacturing a wide range of modern technologies. These include smartphones, renewable energy systems such as solar panels and wind turbines, electric vehicle batteries, advanced military equipment, and numerous other high-tech goods. As demand for these resources continues to rise, producing nations around the world have increasingly tightened regulations to secure greater benefits from their mineral wealth and to prevent revenue losses through unprocessed exports.
Zimbabwe holds the largest lithium reserves in Africa and has emerged as a key player in the global supply chain. A significant portion of its lithium output has traditionally been exported to China, where it undergoes further refining into battery-grade materials used in electric vehicles and other energy storage technologies. The new policy is expected to disrupt this established trade pattern, at least in the short term, as the country seeks to reorient its strategy toward domestic value addition.
At the Forbes border post, Zimbabwe’s primary land crossing into neighbouring Mozambique, a long queue of trucks reportedly built up as drivers awaited further instructions from their companies and clarification from authorities. The Herald news website reported that transporters were left uncertain about the next steps following the immediate enforcement of the ban.
Officials from the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority and the country’s mining regulator were deployed at the border to ensure compliance with the new directive. Their presence was reinforced by a heavy police deployment, underscoring the government’s determination to prevent any unauthorised mineral exports.
Authorities say the ban is designed to ensure that Zimbabwe captures more of the economic value derived from its mineral resources by encouraging local refining and processing. By shifting from exporting raw materials to producing higher-value finished or semi-finished products, the government aims to stimulate industrial development, create employment opportunities, and increase state revenues from the mining sector.