Chinese Firms Control 80% Of Zimbabwe Lithium Production

Chinese investors now control more than 80% of Zimbabwe’s lithium production, placing Beijing at the heart of the country’s lithium boom.

In a recent interview with NewsDay, Innocent Rukweza, chairman of the Lithium Producers Association of Zimbabwe, said Chinese-linked firms now dominate operating capacity across the industry.

“More than 80% of production is coming from Chinese-owned or Chinese-partnered projects,” he said.

“In fact, of all operational projects, they are effectively running production.”

The government has given lithium producers until 2027 to set up beneficiation plants.

Two Chinese-owned miners, Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe (PLZ) and Bikita Minerals, already have processing capacity.

Rukweza said producers that cannot build their own plants are being encouraged to sign tolling agreements with companies that have existing capacity.

He said the move from exporting raw ore to processing has already changed the sector’s economics.

“From about US$60 million in raw exports, we moved to more than US$500 million annually, and we are now targeting US$1 billion,” he said.

A key part of the next phase is lithium sulphate — an intermediate product that is closer to battery-grade material. It is now central to Zimbabwe’s industrial strategy.

One plant has already started production. The industry is targeting an output of about 50,000 tonnes as production ramps up.

At least six beneficiation projects are under construction, mostly concentrators and sulphate plants. They are expected to come online in 2027.

Yet even as Zimbabwe moves further into processing, Chinese firms still dominate most operational assets.