By Tendai Ruben Mbofana
Attending the recent conference on critical minerals organized by the Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG) on 21 May 2025 at Cresta Lodge in Harare was nothing short of eye-opening.
It brought together experts, civil society actors, researchers, and concerned citizens to deliberate on one of Zimbabwe’s most pressing and potentially transformative issues—how the country is managing, or mismanaging, its vast mineral wealth, especially in relation to so-called critical minerals like lithium.
The discussions were not only informative but also deeply sobering, as they laid bare the stark reality of a nation richly endowed yet perilously close to losing out once again due to a toxic combination of weak governance, policy inconsistency, infrastructure decay, and exploitative contracts.
The term “critical minerals” refers to resources that are essential to modern technologies and the global green transition, including lithium, nickel, and platinum group metals (PGMs).
These minerals are central to renewable energy, electric vehicles, and other technologies vital for global decarbonization efforts.
Zimbabwe, ranked among the top 10 lithium producers in the world, should logically be positioning itself as a global player in this strategic sector.
But the real question raised by the conference was whether the country is indeed leveraging this wealth to bring about meaningful economic transformation and uplift its citizens.
Speakers explored in detail the state of the sector, highlighting glaring gaps and missed opportunities.
Veronica Zano, Regional Program Advisor-Extractive Industry, Oxfam Southern Africa Cluster presents on Business and Human Rights in the extractive industry
One of the most concerning revelations was how Zimbabwe has struggled to define and implement a coherent and consistent policy on critical minerals.
The country has introduced various bans on the export of raw lithium in an effort to promote value addition, yet these regulations are often weakly enforced and riddled with loopholes.
Reports persist of some Chinese mining companies ferrying truckloads of unprocessed lithium across the border into Mozambique, from where it is shipped to China.
This suggests that, despite the official position, Zimbabwe’s lithium is still being exported in raw form, depriving the country of the potential value it could gain from local processing and beneficiation.
This situation raises fears that Zimbabwe may soon run out of lithium—while China, having hoarded massive stockpiles of the mineral, becomes a dominant force in the global lithium supply chain.
The prospect of a future in which Zimbabwe has exhausted its mineral wealth with little to show for it is not far-fetched.
Many participants agreed that if Zimbabwe is to benefit meaningfully from its critical minerals, it must adopt a more strategic approach—one that either involves holding on to its lithium until global prices peak or aggressively building capacity for local smelting and refining.
Without such foresight, the country risks once again being relegated to the role of a mere extractor of raw resources for the benefit of foreign powers.
Infrastructure challenges were also laid bare during the conference.
The country’s mining sector continues to be hamstrung by an unreliable electricity supply, poor transport networks, and inadequate water systems.
These deficiencies raise operational costs, reduce investor confidence, and limit the potential for value addition within Zimbabwe.
It was emphasized that serious investment in power generation, roads, rail, and water infrastructure is essential if the country hopes to be competitive in the global critical minerals market.
The environmental and social consequences of the mining boom were another focal point of the discussions.
Participants raised alarm over the ecological degradation caused by both artisanal and large-scale mining operations.
From deforestation and soil erosion to water pollution and the displacement of entire communities, the costs borne by local populations are often devastating.
Research by the CNRG has shown that some communities in mining zones have been left with nothing but contaminated water sources and broken livelihoods, while large corporations extract enormous profits.
It was argued that without strong environmental regulations and meaningful community engagement, the mining of critical minerals could turn into yet another source of suffering rather than empowerment.
In the same vein, the role of Parliament and other oversight bodies came under the spotlight.
The conference emphasized the urgent need to capacitate Zimbabwe’s legislature to effectively scrutinize agreements between the government and foreign investors.
Too often, these deals are shrouded in secrecy, signed without public consultation, and skewed heavily in favor of powerful interests.
If the mining sector is to serve the people, Parliament must be empowered to demand transparency and accountability—not only in contracts but also in the enforcement of labor rights and environmental protections.
Ultimately, the conference underscored that Zimbabwe’s critical minerals could be a game-changer.
If properly managed, they can attract significant foreign direct investment, create thousands of jobs, increase export revenue, and facilitate technology transfer.
But that will only happen if there is political will to prioritize the interests of the people over those of a well-connected few.
As one participant poignantly remarked, minerals can be a curse or a blessing—it all depends on how we choose to govern them. This gathering at Cresta Lodge served as a timely and necessary reminder that Zimbabwe stands at a crossroads.
The choices made now will determine whether critical minerals become the engine of a new developmental era or yet another squandered opportunity in a long history of unfulfilled promise.
Tendai Ruben Mbofana writes in his own capacity a social justice advocate.