ZIMBABWE needs strategic partnerships to begin producing such products as lithium batteries and lithium carbonate, according to Mines and Mining Development minister Zhemu Soda.
Zimbabwe is the world’s sixth largest lithium producer.
“We need to produce lithium carbonate and ultimately produce lithium batteries in the country,” the minister said at the launch of the Zimbabwe-Chinese Energy Mining Enterprise Association on Monday.
“Strategic partnerships are, therefore, critical for the development of our sector. The association is, therefore, expected to support the government in championing lithium beneficiation and value addition.”
In line with the National Development Strategy 1, Soda said the government’s thrust was to ensure mineral beneficiation and value addition to achieve the country’s Vision 2030.
He said mineral beneficiation and value addition in the lithium sub-sector was of paramount importance given the country’s huge lithium deposits.
“As Zimbabwe, we need to strategically position ourselves within the global lithium value chain, we therefore need to move up the value chain,” Soda said.
He urged investors to establish approved processing plants to be able to export beneficiated lithium in terms of the law because government banned the export of all base mineral ores, including lithium through Statutory Instruments 5 of 2023 and Statutory Instrument 57 of 2023.
Source Newsday
