Two Chinese firms granted lithium export quotas from Zimbabwe

Reuters

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Zimbabwe has granted two Chinese mining firms export quotas for ​lithium concentrates, state media China Securities Journal reported on ‌Monday, two months after Africa’s top lithium producer suspended exports of the key battery material.

The quotas were granted to Chengxin Lithium and Sinomine Resource, ​which operate lithium mining projects in Zimbabwe, according to the ​report.

In February, Zimbabwean authorities had suspended the exports of all ⁠raw minerals and lithium concentrates, citing alleged malpractices and leakages. ​However, earlier this month, they told producers they would introduce quotas ​for lithium concentrate exports and require more processing to be done locally as part of conditions to allow the resumption of mineral exports.

In 2025, Zimbabwe exported ​1.128 million metric tons of lithium-bearing spodumene concentrate to China, ​accounting for about 15% of its lithium concentrate imports for the year.

The report ‌cited ⁠a representative from Chengxin Lithium saying that the company’s lithium concentrate production capacity in Zimbabwe was approximately 290,000 metric tons annually, and the quota it received was sufficient for meeting production needs.

Sinomine ​Resource said it ​had received ⁠a quota of 200,000 metric tons, which was roughly equivalent to its monthly output in Zimbabwe, according ​to the report.

Shares of Shenzhen-listed Chengxin Lithium hit the ​10% daily ⁠upper price limit on Monday, while those of Sinomine Resource closed 6.6% up.

Shanghai-listed Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt, another major player in Zimbabwe’s lithium ⁠mining ​sector, said it had not received ​any relevant notice from the Zimbabwean government, the report said.