Zimbabwe beats lithium price crash with 30% surge in spodumene exports

Despite an 90% global plunge in lithium prices since 2022, Zimbabwe’s spodumene concentrate exports soared by 30% in the first half of 2025, reaching 586,197 metric tons, up from 451,824 tons in the same period of 2024.

This is according to the precious stones marketing regulator, the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ).

Key Highlights:
•Global lithium price slump: Prices fell from over US$80,000/ton in late 2022 to US$8,450/ton by June 2025.
•Investor confidence remains strong, with Chinese companies injecting over US$1.4 billion into Zimbabwe’s lithium sector since 2021.
•Major players: Huayou, Sinomine, Chengxin, Yahua, and Tsingshan.
•Local beneficiation push: Zimbabwe aims to ban raw lithium exports by 2027.
•Value-add projects underway:
•Huayou is building a 50,000 tpa lithium sulphate plant.
•Sinomine plans a US$500 million lithium sulphate facility at Bikita.

Zimbabwe remains Africa’s top lithium producer and is positioning itself as a key hub for battery mineral processing in the global EV supply chain.

Zim Economic Review