Zimbabwe: LOHUM ships first lithium ore cargo

Indian critical minerals group LOHUM announced on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, that it has shipped its first batch of lithium ore from its mining assets in the Matabeleland South province of Zimbabwe. This operation marks the commencement of its extraction activities in the country, in a sector that has become strategic for battery and electric vehicle supply chains.

LOHUM holds rights to ten blocks containing spodumene, a lithium-bearing mineral, covering approximately 1,100 hectares. The company estimates that these assets contain between 30 and 40 million tons of ore and could yield around 300,000 tons of lithium carbonate equivalent over their operational lifespan.

According to data provided by the company and reported by Reuters, the theoretical value of the resources is close to $7 billion at current lithium carbonate prices. This estimate remains contingent on price and ore recovery assumptions. Additionally, LOHUM has an option on up to 90 neighboring mining blocks, which could significantly expand its resource base in the region.

The group indicates that existing spodumene concentration facilities nearby can handle the initial processing stages. It also plans to develop its own concentration capabilities in Zimbabwe. Its CEO, Rajat Verma, described this strategy as a way to retain more processing and added value within the country before the subsequent refining stages.

Zimbabwe strengthens local processing

LOHUM’s arrival comes as Harare gradually tightens export conditions for lithium. Zimbabwe, the leading African producer of this metal according to Reuters, plans to ban exports of lithium concentrate starting January 2027 to encourage mining companies to process a larger share of their production domestically.

The country had suspended concentrate exports in February 2026 before reauthorizing them under quotas and conditions, including commitments to build processing units. In 2025, Zimbabwe exported approximately 1.13 million tons of spodumene concentrate to China, accounting for nearly 15% of China’s lithium concentrate imports that year, according to Reuters.

However, the industrial upgrade remains incomplete. In July, Zimbabwean authorities indicated that the only lithium sulfate plant currently operational, run by Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe, a subsidiary of Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt, lacked the capacity to process ore from third-party producers. Several other processing projects are under construction, while LOHUM claims it aims to establish its own concentration capacity in the country.