Zimbabwe has taken a significant step in its ambition to capture greater value from its lithium resources. Chinese company Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt announced this week that it has shipped the first batch of lithium sulfate from its operations in the country, making Zimbabwe the first nation on the African continent to export this intermediate product to international markets.
The lithium sulfate was produced at a plant completed by Huayou’s local subsidiary, Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe, in October of last year, with an annual production capacity of 50,000 tons. The exact volume of the first shipment was not disclosed. Lithium sulfate can be further processed into lithium carbonate or lithium hydroxide, both of which are essential compounds for manufacturing electric vehicle batteries.
The announcement comes weeks after Zimbabwean authorities suspended exports of lithium concentrate, citing irregularities in the export process. The government has since been pushing for stricter local processing requirements, demanding that companies submit written commitments to establish lithium sulfate production lines before January 1, 2027. Until that deadline, a 10% export tax remains in effect, with a new concentrate export ban planned to follow.
As Africa’s largest lithium producer and China’s second-largest supplier, Zimbabwe is eager to derive more economic benefit from the sector. In 2025, the country’s spodumene concentrate exports grew nearly 12 percent, rising from 1.01 million tons to 1.13 million tons. However, falling prices meant export revenues dipped slightly, from $514.5 million to $513.8 million year-on-year.
Other Chinese operators, including Sinomine and Sichuan Yahua, are also accelerating lithium sulfate processing projects at the Bikita and Kamativi mines respectively. While lithium sulfate carries more value than raw concentrate, it still falls short of the final battery-grade products. Whether this momentum will translate into substantial economic gains for Zimbabwe, or serve merely as a stepping stone to higher-value processing, remains to be seen.
Source: Radio France International, May 1, 2026
https://rfi.my/Cf7b