Zimbabwe’s mineral export earnings, excluding gold and silver, surged 84 percent to US$2.532 billion in the first half of 2026, from US$1.376 billion realized in the same period last year, driven by government beneficiation policies and favorable global commodity prices.
This comes as the country’s authorities are pushing miners to beneficiate Accminerals before export as part of strategies to maximize benefits from the booming lithium market by transitioning from raw material exporters to value-added hubs.
Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) general manager Nomusa Jane Moyo said the surge in mineral export earnings stemmed from “growing global demand, favourable commodity prices and the impact of…the mineral beneficiation and value addition policy”.
“The US$2.532 billion recorded demonstrates the impact of the beneficiation and value addition policy,” she said in a statement on the Corporation’s H1 performance.
Zimbabwe’s 2026 total mineral export earnings are projected to exceed US$8 billion across the mining sector. MMCZ specifically targets US$3.5 billion, while gold alone is expected to rake in US$5 billion.
Moyo said “based on the market trends and performance of our key mineral commodities, we are confident of surpassing our projected annual revenue this year,”.
MMCZ is a wholly-owned government parastatal under the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, acting as the exclusive agent for marketing and selling all minerals – except gold and silver – produced in Zimbabwe.
Moyo said PGM matte were the dominant export, contributing 33.93 percent of total export value, followed by spodumene concentrates with 26.57 percent and PGM concentrates at 13.73 percent.
“These three mineral commodities accounted for more than 74 percent of export earnings, highlighting Zimbabwe’s strategic position as a global supplier of platinum group metals and critical minerals required for the global energy transition,” she said.
Steel contributed 5.41 percent, lithium sulphate 3.89 percent, chrome concentrate 2.39 percent and diamonds 1.71 percent.