Zimbabwe Marks First Lithium Sulphate Export as Huayou Advances Local Processing Push
Huayou Ships Africa’s First Lithium Sulphate from Zimbabwe Plant Amid Export Restrictions and Value-Addition Drive
HARARE – Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt has shipped Africa’s first batch of lithium sulphate from its Zimbabwe-based processing facility, just months after the government tightened restrictions on lithium concentrate exports over concerns about malpractice and revenue leakages.
The company’s local subsidiary confirmed the shipment in a statement posted on X late Monday, describing it as a milestone for both Zimbabwe and the continent’s mineral beneficiation efforts.
“This inaugural shipment represents the first lithium salt ever produced in Zimbabwe and across Africa, marking a major step forward in regional mineral beneficiation and industrialisation,” the statement said. However, Huayou did not disclose the volume of the consignment.
The $400 million processing plant, completed in October 2025, has an annual capacity of around 50,000 metric tons of lithium sulphate.
The intermediate product can be further refined into lithium hydroxide or lithium carbonate key inputs in electric vehicle battery manufacturing.
Zimbabwe, Africa’s largest lithium producer, has increasingly pushed mining companies to process more of the mineral domestically in order to capture greater value from its resources.
As part of this strategy, the government recently introduced a 10% export tax on lithium concentrate.
The levy does not apply to lithium sulphate or other higher-value processed products.
The country has also taken a more restrictive stance on raw exports. A full ban on lithium concentrate exports is scheduled to take effect in January 2027, while authorities temporarily suspended all such exports on February 25, citing “malpractices during the exportation of minerals.”
To regulate the sector in the interim, Zimbabwe introduced export quotas in April, alongside compliance requirements that include the publication of annual financial statements and adherence to labour, safety, and environmental standards.
So far, Chinese firms Sichuan Yahua, Chengxin Lithium, and Sinomine have received export quotas from Zimbabwean authorities.
Huayou has not confirmed whether it has been allocated a quota, and the company did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Chinese mining companies dominate Zimbabwe’s lithium sector, reinforcing China’s broader control over global battery mineral supply chains.
In 2025, Zimbabwe exported approximately 1.13 million metric tons of spodumene concentrate to China, accounting for roughly 15% of China’s lithium concentrate imports for the year.
