Bikita Minerals (Private) Limited has resumed lithium concentrate exports after securing an export licence from Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Mines and Mining Development.
In February this year, the Zimbabwe government, through the Mines ministry, imposed an immediate and indefinite suspension of the exportation of lithium concentrates and all raw or unbeneficiated minerals that have not undergone value addition.
“We have resumed lithium concentrate exports after securing an export licence from Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Mines and Mining Development under the country’s framework,” Bikita Minerals announced on X.
“This marks a milestone in our commitment to responsible mining, transparency, and value addition,” said the miner, located in Masvingo Province of southern Zimbabwe.
Bikita Minerals – a subsidiary of the Chinese firm Sinomine Group – primarily mines lithium, specifically spodumene and petalite, making it a major Zimbabwean producer of high-quality lithium products for glass, ceramics, and electric vehicle batteries.
The unbeneficiated minerals export ban came as most miners were exporting raw or minimally processed materials.
However, in March, the government introduced stringent conditions for the resumption of mineral exports.
Under the new requirements, the Mines ministry said lithium concentrate exports will be subject to compulsory quotas and that companies must commit to establishing domestic processing facilities before shipments can restart.