Zimbabwe Holds Firm on 2027 Lithium Export Ban

Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube confirmed Zimbabwe will enforce the 2027 deadline requiring lithium producers to set up local beneficiation plants. Producers unable to meet the requirement received guidance to sign tolling agreements with companies that already possess processing capacity. The minister's statement directly rejected extension pleas from the majority of the country's lithium miners who sought more time. The government positions local mineral processing as a non-negotiable industrial policy pillar. Access to processing infrastructure determines which mining operations survive the regulatory cutoff. The government rejected industry extension requests and confirmed the 2027 beneficiation deadline.