HARARE – Cabinet has officially approved a transformative mining framework designed to pivot the nation from a raw resource exporter to a globally competitive industrial hub. Titled the Proposed Minerals Value Chain: From Mining to Beneficiation, Industrialisation and Exportation, the policy aims to plug the chronic financial leakages that have long drained the country’s mineral wealth.
Speaking at a post-Cabinet briefing, Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Dr. Soda Zhemu, emphasized that the framework is a safeguard for national interests, ensuring the country captures the full value of its vast underground assets.
The Four Pillars of the New Mineral Economy
The strategy is built upon four strategic pillars designed to modernize the sector from the ground up:
- Mandatory Standards and Value-Addition
To stop the export of raw ores, the government is introducing Mineral-Specific Architecture.
- Compliance: A new “Value-Added Compliance Certificate” is now mandatory.
- Enforcement: No export permit will be issued unless the mineral meets legally binding minimum processing standards.
- Scientific Sovereignty: A National Lab Network
Zimbabwe is ending its reliance on foreign laboratories for mineral certification. The government will establish a decentralized network of specialized analytical hubs co-located at national universities.
| Institution | Mineral Focus / Specialization |
| University of Zimbabwe | Apex hub for Lithium, Rare Earth Elements, and Uranium |
| NUST & Great Zimbabwe University | PGMs (Platinum Group Metals) and Battery Minerals |
| Midlands State University | Iron Ore, Chrome, and Vanadium Corridors |
| Manicaland State University | National Diamond and Gemmology Suite |
| CUT & Bindura University | Industrial Minerals, Phosphates, and Graphite |
| Gwanda State University | Beneficiation for Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners |
| Zimbabwe School of Mines | Integrated core hub for specialized technical training |
- “Mine-to-Market” Smart Tracking
To combat fraud and smuggling, a new Operational Control System will be deployed. This “smart corridor” uses real-time tracking to provide a comprehensive audit trail from the moment a mineral is pulled from the earth until it reaches the port of exit.
- Regional Industrial Hubs (SEZs)
The framework designates eight regional Special Economic Zones (SEZs) strategically located across the provinces.
- Cluster Development: New investors will be directed to specific hubs—such as the Northern Battery Minerals or Midlands Metallurgical zones.
- Efficiency: These zones allow companies to share infrastructure, lowering costs and scaling operations more effectively.
The Cabinet recognizes that industrialization requires more than just policy; it requires power. The strategy includes:
- Energy Security: Incentives for self-generation of power for beneficiation projects.
- ESG Integration: A heavy focus on Environmental, Social, and Governance standards.
- Institutional Strengthening: Expanding the capacity of the Ministry of Mines to oversee this more complex value chain.
To ensure these plans have teeth, the Cabinet also approved a consolidated legal framework to immediately operationalize these pillars, signaling a definitive end to the era of unrestricted raw mineral exports.
