President Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared that Zimbabwe is entering a new era in which the export of raw minerals will no longer be tolerated, as the Government intensifies efforts to maximise value from the country’s vast mineral wealth through beneficiation and industrialisation.
In a speech delivered on his behalf by Vice President, Constantino Chiwenga, during the official opening of the 28th Mining, Engineering and Transport (Mine Entra) Conference in Bulawayo, on Friday, the President said Zimbabwe was determined to ensure that its mineral resources translate into tangible benefits for its citizens.
“The mining industry must not only aid in expanding the national wealth or economic growth, but result in tangible benefits to the ordinary citizens,” President Mnangagwa said.
Addressing delegates under the conference theme, “Unearth, Transform, Prosper: Anchoring Economic Transformation Through Mining Value Chains,” the President said the Second Republic was committed to building a value-added mining economy instead of continuing as a supplier of raw minerals to foreign industries.
He warned that Government would no longer allow the export of minerals under vague declarations.
“The days where consignments leave our borders, declared simply as ‘ore’ or ‘concentrates’, meanwhile containing valuable and rare earth minerals are over,” he said.
President Mnangagwa announced that by January 2027, Zimbabwe will only export lithium sulphate, saying Government had already put in place an orderly quota system to allow mining companies to complete investments in beneficiation plants without disrupting production.
He applauded progress in the lithium sector, noting that Zimbabwe made history, in April 2026, when Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe exported the continent’s first locally produced lithium sulphate.
“This was a first-ever on the African continent. It happened here in Zimbabwe,” he said.
The President also directed that the construction of additional lithium sulphate plants at Bikita, Kamativi and Sandawana, as well as a precious minerals refinery for platinum group metals, be completed without further delays.
On environmental protection, President Mnangagwa warned that irresponsible mining practices would not be tolerated.
“My administration will not broker conditions where the health, livelihoods and general wellbeing of communities are compromised for profit expediency,” he said.
He further declared war on corruption within the mining sector, warning that public officials accepting bribes and companies involved in corrupt practices would face stern action.
The President challenged mining companies to invest in local manufacturing of mining inputs to reduce imports and strengthen domestic industrialisation. He also called for greater adoption of digital technologies, artificial intelligence, geospatial mapping and automation to improve productivity.
Describing mining as a strategic pillar of Zimbabwe’s economic transformation, President Mnangagwa urged all stakeholders to manage the country’s mineral wealth with integrity and patriotism.
“Mining, for Zimbabwe, is no longer merely a line of revenue. It is one of the central pillars through which we are building, developing, modernising and industrialising our beloved motherland, Zimbabwe,” he said.
The President officially declared the 2026 Mine Entra Conference open and called on miners, engineers, investors and suppliers to work together in transforming the country’s mineral resources into lasting national prosperity.
