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Zimbabwe’s export ban could reshape global lithium supply chain
If Zimbabwe’s government gets its way, from January 2027 no raw lithium concentrate will be allowed to leave the country.
For miners and battery manufacturers, that’s a big deal, and not just because Zimbabwe is the world’s second-largest exporter of spodumene to China.
Export bans like this aren’t new. Indonesia pulled a similar move with nickel and ended up attracting billions in downstream investment.
Zimbabwe clearly wants the same result. The goal is to keep more of the value chain on home turf by pushing miners to build local processing plants rather than shipping out unrefined material.
David Merriman at Project Blue, a consultancy that tracks critical battery metals, notes that some operators are already adapting.
Chinese firms such as Sinomine and Huayou Cobalt have begun setting up facilities in Zimbabwe to produce lithium sulphate, a refined intermediate product.
Others, including Canmax, Chengxin and Yahua, will likely have to follow suit.
And there’s a reason for the urgency.
In the first quarter of this year alone, Zimbabwe sent over 200,000 tonnes of lithium concentrate to China, containing nearly 26,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE).
That’s a meaningful chunk of global supply, and a key input for China’s battery industry.
If the ban goes ahead, it could give Zimbabwe leverage to reshape its role in the lithium supply chain.
But there’s also risk. Without enough local refining capacity in place, producers could face bottlenecks, and industries that rely on those raw materials might scramble to secure alternative supply.
The broader message here is clear: countries with valuable resources are starting to demand more than just royalties. They want jobs, infrastructure and industrial development, not just holes in the ground.
Whether Zimbabwe can pull this off remains to be seen, but the direction of travel is obvious.
For lithium investors and operators, this is one more reminder that supply chains are no longer just about geology and grades. Policy and politics are now just as important.