HARARE — Zimbabwe has announced an immediate total ban on the export of raw antimony and tungsten concentrates as the government intensifies its drive to promote domestic mineral processing and industrialization.
The directive was announced through the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development and requires the two critical minerals to undergo local processing, value addition and domestic refining before they can leave the country.
Antimony and tungsten are important industrial and defense metals used in areas including electronics, energy storage and specialized manufacturing.
Zimbabwe holds significant deposits of both minerals, alongside substantial lithium resources that have already been subject to restrictions on the export of raw material.
Government officials argue that exporting minerals without processing them domestically deprives the country of potential revenue and industrial employment opportunities.
Under the new policy, mining companies will receive a grace period during which they are expected to submit plans for establishing processing and smelting facilities inside Zimbabwe.
The government says the policy is intended to encourage investment in domestic industrial capacity rather than allowing Zimbabwe to remain primarily an exporter of unprocessed mineral resources.
The Ministry of Mines and Mining Development has framed the policy as part of a wider push for African resource sovereignty.
The move reflects Zimbabwe's growing emphasis on beneficiation, with authorities seeking to capture more value from the country's mineral wealth before it reaches international markets.
