ZIMBABWE’S lithium exporters are lobbying the government to postpone a 5% export tax on lithium concentrate until domestic refineries become operational in approximately two and a half years, Bloomberg News reports.
The Zimbabwe Lithium Exporters (ZLE), representing companies like Chengxin Lithium Group, has formally requested that mines and finance ministries defer the levy designed to encourage local refining operations until 2027, when lithium sulfate production facilities are expected to be commissioned, said the newswire.
Zimbabwe has rapidly developed into a key supplier of lithium concentrate for Chinese refineries, with Chinese firms including Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt Co. and Sinomine Resource Group investing billions in mining operations across the country. Last year, Zimbabwe provided roughly 14% of China’s lithium imports, according to data from CRU Group.
The industry body argues the tax on concentrate shipments—classified by authorities as “unbeneficiated” or unprocessed material—should be suspended until domestic processing capacity is established. Once operational, these plants will produce lithium sulphate for export to China for further refinement into battery-grade materials.
Additionally, the ZLE has raised concerns that Zimbabwe is calculating royalty payments based on the value of lithium carbonate rather than the actual concentrate produced in-country.
The Chamber of Mines, representing broader mining interests, met with Finance Ministry officials on 19 May to discuss these proposals, though a spokesperson confirmed only that consultations were taking place, declining to comment on ongoing discussions.
