https://newsletter.mw.creamermedia.com
Africa|Building|Energy|Export|Manufacturing|Mining|Power|Renewable Energy|Renewable-Energy|Bearing
Africa|Building|Energy|Export|Manufacturing|Mining|Power|Renewable Energy|Renewable-Energy|Bearing
africa|building|energy|export|manufacturing|mining|power|renewable-energy|renewable-energy-company|bearing

Zimbabwe's spodumene exports surge 30% despite weak lithium prices

21st July 2025

By: Reuters

  

Font size: - +

Zimbabwe's exports of spodumene concentrate, a lithium-bearing mineral essential for battery production, surged 30% in the first half of 2025 despite weak global lithium prices, official statistics show.

Africa's top lithium producer exported 586 197 metric tons of spodumene concentrate between January and June, compared to 451 824 metric tons during the same period last year, according to statistics from the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) obtained by Reuters on Monday.

Prices of lithium - used in batteries to power renewable energy technologies - have tumbled nearly 90% over the past two years, mainly due to oversupply, but producers remain positive about the metal's long-term prospects amid a global push towards cleaner energy sources and electric vehicles.

"A notable market contradiction was observed in the lithium sector, where prices declined despite a continuous rise in demand for lithium metal," Zimbabwe's state minerals marketer MMCZ said in a statement.

"Lithium prices are, however, expected to improve in the medium-term," it added.

China's Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt, Sinomine, Chengxin Lithium Group, Yahua Group and Tsingshan dominate Zimbabwe's lithium mining, producing concentrates and shipping them to their home country.

These companies have invested in excess of $1.4-billion since 2021 to acquire and develop the lithium assets, according to the MMCZ.

The southern African country says it will ban the export of lithium concentrates from 2027 to promote more local processing.

Huayou, which exported 400 000 t of lithium concentrate from Zimbabwe in 2024, says it has started building a 50 000 t/y lithium sulphate plant in the country. Sinomine has also announced plans to build a $500-million lithium sulphate plant at its Bikita mine in Zimbabwe.

Lithium sulphate is an intermediate product which can be refined into a battery-grade material such as lithium hydroxide or lithium carbonate used in battery manufacturing.

Edited by Reuters

Comments

Showroom

Weir
Weir

Weir is a global leader in mining technology. We recognise that our planet’s future depends on the transition to renewable energy, and that...

VISIT SHOWROOM 
ESAB showroom image
ESAB South Africa

ESAB South Arica, the leading supplier of high-end welding and cutting products to the Southern African industrial market is based in...

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Magazine round up | 18 July 2025
Magazine round up | 18 July 2025
18th July 2025

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:0.039 0.118s - 144pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now