Lithium boosts Zimbabwe’s export sales

Prisca Tshuma

ZIMBABWE recorded US$4,74 bil­lion in mineral export sales in the nine months to September 30, 2026, driven by a surge in lithium earnings, the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) has said.

The country’ sole mineral mar­keter -except for gold and silver – said lithium was the largest mineral export revenue earner during the period, generating US$2,16 billion and accounting for 45,6 percent of total mineral sales.

MMCZ general manager Nomu­sa Moyo said lithium, comprising spodumene, petalite and lithium sulphate, had overtaken platinum group metals (PGMs) as the leading revenue earner.

“Lithium has overtaken Platinum Group Metals (PGMs) as the lead­ing revenue earner in the reported period…We attribute lithium’s emergence as the leading revenue earner to the beneficiation work be­ing driven by government, alongside producers’ investment and opera­tional efforts,” Moyo said.

PGMs generated US$1,73 bil­lion during the nine months, put­ting lithium about US$430 million ahead.

Overall mineral export sales rose 101,8 percent from US$2,35 bil­lion recorded in the same period last year, adding about US$2,39 billion.

Export volumes increased 23,4 percent to 4,74 million tonnes from 3,84 million tonnes.

Spodumene was the biggest individual contributor, generating US$1,81 billion, up 368,2 percent from the same period last year. Its average realised sales value rose to US$1 483 per tonne from US$387.

Petalite sales surged 583,3 percent to US$155,29 million, while lithium sulphate contributed US$190,52 million.

Moyo said lithium sulphate sales highlighted the growing contribu­tion of local mineral processing to export earnings.

“This demonstrates the contribu­tion that further processing is begin­ning to make to export earnings,” Moyo said.

PGM matte sales rose 31,6 percent to about US$1,26 billion, while concentrate sales increased 69,8 percent to US$465,56 mil­lion. Moyo said higher realised val­ues had supported the growth in PGM revenues.

In September alone, total miner­al export sales reached US$685,03 million, up 116,6 percent from the same month last year, while vol­umes increased 70,8 percent to 844 633 tonnes.

Moyo attributed the broader growth to higher commodity prices, increased production, new markets and efforts to curb mineral leak­ages.

MMCZ also markets minerals such as chrome, nickel concentrate, including payable co-products like copper, cobalt, and palladium as well as diamonds and other indus­trial and base metals.