As competition for lithium resources heats up within the South African region, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Tanzania are gearing up to expand their respective lithium industries, though experts warn that this new rush for the “white gold” risks fueling corruption and harming local communities and the environment.
Zimbabwe is poised to become a leader in Africa’s critical minerals sector and even a significant player in the global lithium market, with vast untapped resources lying within the Great Dyke region, Thomas Gono, president of the country’s Chamber of Mines, told the audience while addressing the Critical Minerals Africa (CMA) 2024 Forum in Cape Town last week. The region is believed to contain not only lithium but also copper, platinum, and other critical minerals essential for the energy transition and global technology industries. Gono presented the audience with Zimbabwe’s strategic vision, which includes extensive exploration for rare earth resources while seeking investments to boost value-added processes — “imagine the output if we explored the entire country,” he said, hinting at the substantial opportunities awaiting development.
Also other members of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), especially Zambia and Tanzania, are gearing up to advance their respective mining sectors. Both SADC countries are particularly focusing on implementing policy reforms to stimulate their respective mining industries. Noting Zambia’s wealth minerals, such as lithium, graphite and other rare earth elements, Sokwani William Chilembo, CEO of Zambia’s Chamber of Mines, highlighted his country’s recent policy reforms designed to foster investment by addressing energy shortages and promoting growth. Tanzania, meanwhile, is focusing on small-scale mining, particularly through the recent updates to the Mining Act that aim to empower small-scale miners.