Parliamentary Committee on Mines and Mining Development in Zimbabwe says the upcoming Mines and Minerals law should be rigid on lithium beneficiation to ensure maximum returns for the country from the commodity.
Zimbabwe is endowed with diverse mineral resources but lithium is the topical at the moment, a position that has triggered amplified investor interest in the resource as the world evolves towards the adoption of renewable energy and electric cars to curb emissions.
Statistics show that Zimbabwe produced 1,200 tonnes of lithium in 2021, making it the sixth-largest miner globally behind Brazil (1 900 tonnes), Argentina (6 200 tonnes), China (14,000 tonnes), Chile (26 000 tonnes) and Australia (55 000 tonnes).
However, being one of the top producers of the commodity does not automatically translate to maximum financial returns, given that lucrative price is earned from a beneficiated commodity.