President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said Zimbabwe would rather leave its minerals in the ground than continue exporting them raw without realising full value.
Speaking at the Zimbabwe Industrialisation Conference and Expo (ZICE 2026) held last week, Mnangagwa said the Government’s policy on value addition and beneficiation is unequivocal, and challenged players in the mining and minerals value chain to adapt quickly.
“Stakeholders in mining and mineral value chain industries are challenged to quickly adapt and ensure that our strategic minerals are value-added and beneficiated for win-win benefits,” he said.
Mnangagwa said his administration has moved away from exploitative investment models where Zimbabwe only served as a source of raw materials.
“As I have said in the past, my government does not accept ‘horse and rider’ zvakapfuura [that is in the past],” he said.
“We need economic cooperation and/or investments, including from local manufacturing players. We must treat each other as brothers and sisters, equal. No horse and rider.”
The remarks come after the Government began restricting exports of some minerals, including lithium concentrates, in February to push miners into processing more locally.
Zimbabwe holds some of the world’s largest lithium reserves, along with significant deposits of platinum, gold, chrome and diamonds.
However, the country’s value addition ambitions face hurdles, including limited infrastructure, technology, finance and market access.
Mnangagwa said the push for beneficiation is about ensuring national resources benefit the broader population, not just a few individuals or foreign shareholders.
“Our policy stance is unequivocal. National resources must be processed and beneficiated for the realisation of maximum economic returns that benefit our people and the economy as a whole, not merely a few shareholders, directors, and management,” he said.
“If we don’t have the technology to benefit our resources, let the resources lie in the ground.”
He said value addition should lead to the establishment of domestic manufacturing and new downstream industries that create sustainable jobs and boost export earnings.
“Ultimately, domestic manufacturing and new downstream industries should be established to create sustainable employment and export earnings,” he said.
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