Zimbabwe's lithium sector generated US$746 million in export earnings during the first half of 2026, with spodumene concentrates contributing US$672.8 million and lithium sulphate accounting for US$73.2 million, according to the latest figures released by the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ).
The latest statistics underscore both the rapid growth of Zimbabwe's lithium industry and the country's gradual shift towards mineral beneficiation, although exports remain heavily dominated by unprocessed and semi-processed products.
GeographicReferenceSpodumene concentrates accounted for more than nine times the export revenue generated by lithium sulphate during the period. However, the disparity largely reflects significantly higher export volumes rather than a higher value per tonne.
Spodumene concentrate, produced through the crushing and flotation of lithium ore before being exported for further chemical processing, continues to dominate Zimbabwe's lithium exports.
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By contrast, lithium sulphate is a higher-value intermediate chemical product that requires additional processing, technology and energy-intensive production. Zimbabwe is beginning to expand this capacity through projects such as the Arcadia lithium sulphate plant, although current processing volumes remain well below those of spodumene concentrates.
MMCZ data also shows that lithium exports in the first quarter of 2026 reached 240,826 tonnes valued at US$178.64 million, representing a 2% increase in export volumes compared to the same period last year.
Export earnings, however, surged by 106%, reflecting stronger international lithium prices.
Overall, Zimbabwe's mineral exports rose by 84% year-on-year to US$2.532 billion during the first six months of 2026, up from US$1.376 billion recorded during the corresponding period in 2025.
MMCZ attributed the strong performance to firm global demand, favourable commodity prices and continued implementation of the government's mineral beneficiation and value-addition policies.
MMCZ General Manager, Nomusa Jane Moyo said the results demonstrate the growing impact of the country's strategy to maximise value from its mineral resources.
"The US$2.532 billion recorded demonstrates the impact of the beneficiation and value addition policy. Based on the market trends and performance of our key mineral commodities, we are confident of surpassing our projected annual revenue this year," she said.
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According to the corporation, platinum group metal (PGM) matte remained Zimbabwe's single largest mineral export, contributing 33.93% of total mineral export earnings during the period.
GeographicReferenceSpodumene concentrates accounted for 26.57%, while PGM concentrates contributed 13.73%, with the three commodities together generating more than 74% of the country's total mineral export revenue.
MMCZ said lithium sulphate is increasingly emerging as a strategic value-added export because it undergoes substantial domestic processing before shipment, enabling Zimbabwe to retain a greater share of value within the global battery minerals supply chain.
"The Corporation views this development as an important step towards establishing Zimbabwe as a regional hub for battery mineral processing," Moyo said.
The latest figures reinforce Zimbabwe's ambition to move beyond exporting raw minerals by expanding domestic processing capacity, positioning the country to capture greater value from the fast-growing global demand for battery minerals.
