Minister Ndlovu Hails Zimbabwe’s Lithium Beneficiation Breakthrough at BRICS Forum

Zimbabwe’s drive to accelerate mineral beneficiation and industrialisation is beginning to deliver tangible economic gains, with Government celebrating a major milestone in local lithium processing as the country positions itself within the global battery manufacturing value chain.

Addressing the BRICS PartNIR Innovation Center Entrepreneurs Forum, Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu said Zimbabwe’s policy shift towards local value addition of strategic minerals is transforming the mining sector, enabling the country to retain greater economic value from its vast natural resources while generating employment and critical technical expertise.

Minister Ndlovu said Government’s beneficiation agenda was no longer aspirational but was now producing measurable outcomes, citing the successful export of Africa’s first locally processed lithium sulphate consignment by Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe in April as a landmark achievement in the country’s industrial development trajectory.

He described the milestone as a defining moment for Zimbabwe’s ambitions to move beyond raw mineral exports and establish itself as a strategic player in the fast-growing global electric vehicle and battery supply chain.

The Minister said Zimbabwe’s abundant mineral wealth, highly skilled technical workforce, strategic geographic position and access to expanded continental markets under the African Continental Free Trade Area present a compelling case for international investment.

Ndlovu further told delegates that Zimbabwe remains open for business and is actively pursuing partnerships that can unlock opportunities in mineral beneficiation, renewable energy, agro-processing, advanced manufacturing and infrastructure development.

He invited global investors and entrepreneurs to collaborate with Zimbabwe in accelerating industrial growth, innovation and economic transformation, stressing that value addition and beneficiation remain central pillars of the country’s long-term development strategy.

The remarks underscore Zimbabwe’s broader push to industrialise its economy and maximise returns from critical minerals, particularly lithium, amid growing global demand driven by the clean energy transition and electric vehicle production.

By Witness A Phiri