Semafor published on 13 March 2026 an article titled "Zimbabwe's Lithium Upgrade Still Runs Through China" by Ray Mwayera.
Zimbabwe produced almost 10 percent of global mined lithium last year and provided about 15 percent of processed lithium in China. Harare banned exports of raw lithium ore in 2022 and plans to prohibit exports of lithium concentrates by 2027, forcing companies to invest in local processing. The companies building the lithium infrastructure in Zimbabwe are overwhelmingly Chinese. This raises the question whether Zimbabwe is building an independent refining sector or simply deepening its role inside China's battery ecosystem.
