China's Huayou ships first lithium salt exports from Zimbabwe
2026-04-29 13:39:59 [Print]
Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt has shipped Africa's first batch of lithium sulphate from its Zimbabwean mine, just two months after the southern African nation halted exports of lithium concentrates, citing malpractice and leakages.
Huayou completed the $400 million processing plant in October 2025. The facility has an annual capacity of 50,000 metric tons of lithium sulphate, an intermediate product that can be further refined into battery-making materials such as lithium hydroxide or lithium carbonate.
Zimbabwe, Africa's top lithium producer, has been pushing miners operating within its borders to process more of the battery metal locally in order to capture greater economic value from its mineral resources. The country recently imposed a 10% tax on lithium concentrate exports, though lithium sulphate remains exempt from the levy.
Zimbabwe plans to ban lithium concentrate exports entirely starting in January 2027. However, it suspended all exports of the concentrated mineral on February 25, citing "malpractices during the exportation of minerals."
In April, Zimbabwe introduced export quotas for lithium concentrate and laid out conditions for resuming exports, including the mandatory disclosure of mines' annual financial statements, as well as compliance with labor, safety, and environmental standards.
In 2025, Zimbabwe exported 1.13 million metric tons of lithium-bearing spodumene concentrate to China, accounting for approximately 15% of China's total lithium concentrate imports that year.
Huayou completed the $400 million processing plant in October 2025. The facility has an annual capacity of 50,000 metric tons of lithium sulphate, an intermediate product that can be further refined into battery-making materials such as lithium hydroxide or lithium carbonate.
Zimbabwe, Africa's top lithium producer, has been pushing miners operating within its borders to process more of the battery metal locally in order to capture greater economic value from its mineral resources. The country recently imposed a 10% tax on lithium concentrate exports, though lithium sulphate remains exempt from the levy.
Zimbabwe plans to ban lithium concentrate exports entirely starting in January 2027. However, it suspended all exports of the concentrated mineral on February 25, citing "malpractices during the exportation of minerals."
In April, Zimbabwe introduced export quotas for lithium concentrate and laid out conditions for resuming exports, including the mandatory disclosure of mines' annual financial statements, as well as compliance with labor, safety, and environmental standards.
In 2025, Zimbabwe exported 1.13 million metric tons of lithium-bearing spodumene concentrate to China, accounting for approximately 15% of China's total lithium concentrate imports that year.
Lithium Cobaltate Co 60%min Delivered China
Unit:RMB/kg
China lithium carbonate 99.5%mi producers' inventory statistics by province by month
Unit: mt
