Zimbabwe’s emergence as “Africa’s leading lithium producer” is a signal of “deep and exciting” transformation that will see Zimbabwe take its place as a mining powerhouse, reports turnkey crushing solutions provider Gold Rock Projects marketing manager Chris Marsay.

With over $1-billion in Chinese-backed investment and new refinery projects at Bikita and Sandawana, he says the country is shifting from raw minerals extraction to domestic value addition.

“This shift, not only with high-level large-scale international investments, but also with the mass graduation of once artisanal and subsistence miners into the formal mining sector, is a success story that Gold Rock Projects has played a part in with its focus on these smaller local mining investments,” emphasises Marsay.

He adds that the planned 2027 ban on concentrate exports underscores this pivot, demanding new infrastructure, technology and policy alignment, noting that Gold Rock Projects views this transition as a strategic inflection point.

“Our work in mining project development and advisory across Southern Africa positions us to support Zimbabwe’s lithium ambitions through infrastructure planning, compliance and community engagement frameworks.”

Growing the Zim Sector

Zimbabwe’s revamped Mines and Minerals Bill, in conjunction with the near-complete rollout of an online permitting system, are “commendable steps” toward transparency and efficiency of mining regulations in Zimbabwe, highlights Marsay.

However, he notes that enforcement against illegal mining and environmental violations must be matched with support for formalisation and training.

“Gold Rock is actively engaged in these areas.”

Further, Marsay says that with increasing numbers of artisanal and subsistence miners being able to procure the correct machinery and obtain advise, the greater their ability to “graduate” into the formal “legal” sector.

Marsay Crushing and Screening Equipment, with decades of experience in crushing and screening solutions, is ready to support Zimbabwe’s beneficiation drive, states Marsay.

The company’s crushing plants, conveyors and feeders are already supporting operations across the region.

“Our high-capacity front-end crushing and screening solutions are ideal for lithium, gold and chrome processing.

“We offer further beneficiation equipment through long-standing partnerships with specialised engineering houses,” he adds.

With the company’s combined experience in the Africa market, Marsay says it is able to offer solutions that reduce downtime and enhance throughput, thereby helping operators meet production targets and environmental standards.

Beyond lithium, he adds that Zimbabwe’s mining momentum in gold, coal, platinum and diamonds demands a robust supply chain of equipment and expertise.

Investors of mining projects seeking long-term returns will find value in operations that integrate beneficiation, local partnerships and environmental stewardship, notes Marsay.

In this regard, he says there is a need to shift the investment mindset to that of partnership and move away from purely extracting value out of the African ground and sending profits elsewhere.

“As Zimbabwe redefines its mining identity, collaboration between government, investors and service providers will be key.

“Gold Rock and Marsay [Crushing and Screening Equipment] stand ready to contribute not just equipment and expertise, but a vision for mining that uplifts communities, protects ecosystems, and builds lasting value,” concludes Marsay.