Mangaliso Ndlovu Hails Zimbabwe’s Lithium Beneficiation Milestone at BRICS Forum

Nokusa Masuku

Zimbabwe says its drive to promote local mineral beneficiation is beginning to yield significant economic benefits, with the country recording major progress in lithium processing and value addition.

Addressing the BRICS PartNIR Innovation Center Entrepreneurs Forum, Industry and Commerce Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu said government policies aimed at encouraging local processing of strategic minerals were helping Zimbabwe retain greater value from its natural resources while creating jobs and technical skills.

Ndlovu said the export of Africa’s first locally processed lithium sulphate consignment by Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe in April marked a milestone in the country’s industrialisation drive and integration into global battery manufacturing value chains.

“We are already witnessing positive results. In April 2026, Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe, a Chinese company, exported Africa’s first consignment of locally processed lithium sulphate, a critical input in battery manufacturing.

“This marked a major milestone in the beneficiation of strategic minerals and the development of global value chains. This has more than doubled the value created and retained in the country,” remarked Ndlovu.

He said Zimbabwe was positioning itself as a competitive investment destination through its rich mineral resources, strong technical workforce, strategic location and access to wider African markets under the African Continental Free Trade Area.

Minister Ndlovu invited investors to collaborate in mineral beneficiation, renewable energy, agro-processing, advanced manufacturing and infrastructure development as the country pushes to accelerate industrial growth and economic transformation.

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