Zimbabwe pitches lithium, PGMs and beneficiation drive at Mining Indaba symposium in Cape Town

CAPE TOWN — Zimbabwe used the platform of the Zimbabwe Mining Indaba Symposium, held alongside the annual Investing in African Mining Indaba, to position the country as a strategic long-term supplier of critical minerals and a destination for value-added mining investment.

Addressing delegates, Zimbabwe’s Mines Minister, Polite Kambamura, said the country was shifting decisively from raw mineral extraction toward beneficiation, industrial processing, and energy-transition supply chains.

Zimbabwe “comes with a proposition”
The Minister stressed that Zimbabwe was not approaching investors as a petitioner but as a partner offering globally significant geological assets.

He highlighted that the country holds:
•the world’s second-largest deposits of platinum group metals and chrome,
•the largest lithium resource base in Africa,
•and one of the fastest-growing lithium production pipelines globally.

“These are proven geological realities,” he told delegates, adding that the real challenge is converting mineral endowment into inclusive and sustainable economic value.

Exploration identified as industry lifeblood
The Minister emphasised that exploration remains central to Zimbabwe’s mining future and confirmed government measures to reduce investor risk through:

•improved access to geological data,
•transparent mining title administration,
•streamlined licensing procedures,
•and competitive fiscal incentives.

He said these reforms are intended to position Zimbabwe as a reliable supplier of lithium, nickel and other battery minerals critical to the global energy transition.

Lithium processing push underway
A major focus of the address was Zimbabwe’s move into lithium beneficiation.

The Minister announced that Africa’s first lithium sulphate processing facility in the country is nearing commissioning, with additional plants scheduled to follow.

The expansion of processing capacity, he said, would allow Zimbabwe to move beyond exporting raw ore and instead supply higher-value battery-grade materials to international markets.

“The energy transition is happening globally. Zimbabwe cannot be isolated from it — we must participate meaningfully,” he said.

State investment vehicles opening doors to partners
The Minister also commended national mining investment entities tasked with restructuring legacy assets, recapitalising underperforming operations, and opening projects to private investors.

These structures, he explained, are designed to:
•unlock dormant mineral value,
•attract new capital formation,
•support downstream processing,
•and ensure mining contributes directly to national development.

He stressed that the framework allows participation from both domestic and international investors through transparent and bankable partnership models.

Policy stability message to investors
Reaffirming the government’s reform programme, the Minister outlined ongoing measures to improve the mining investment climate, including:

•security of mining tenure,
•predictable fiscal regimes,
•faster permitting processes,
•and strengthened protection of investment rights.

He noted that mining is inherently a long-term industry and said Zimbabwe is specifically seeking long-term strategic partners rather than speculative entrants.

“We are not looking for investors who arrive by night and disappear by day,” he told the symposium.

Positive economic indicators cited
The Minister added that the mining drive is being supported by improving national economic fundamentals, including projected GDP growth above 6% for 2025, moderated inflation levels, and record gold production performance.

“Most opportune moment” to invest
Closing his address, the Minister said the combination of geological scale, policy reform, institutional restructuring and beneficiation strategy makes the present period the strongest window yet for mining investment in Zimbabwe.

“The door is open, the policies are clear, and the opportunity is real,” he said.
“If you are ready to build responsibly, invest confidently and grow with us, Zimbabwe is ready.”