By Victor Fanuel
HARARE — Information ministry permanent secretary Nick Mangwana has defended the government’s decision to tighten control over mineral exports.
Mangwana’s response was widely interpreted as a reply to remarks by the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Zimbabwe, which critics say were a veiled warning to boycott investment following new regulations in the mining sector.
The exchange follows the government’s decision in late February, which suspended exports of all raw minerals and lithium concentrates with immediate effect.
Government said the ban was meant to promote local beneficiation and curb mineral leakages.
Zimbabwe had previously planned to stop exports of lithium concentrates in 2027, but the timeline was brought forward as part of a broader push to ensure more value from the country’s resources is processed locally.
In a notice to Chinese companies and nationals, the Chinese embassy urged investors to exercise caution following the policy change, saying new regulations could affect operations.
“Prior to making investments in Zimbabwe, investors shall conduct a comprehensive and in-depth assessment of the local business environment, industrial policies and relevant laws and regulations, fully consider various investment and operational risks, and make informed decisions so as to avoid losses resulting from government policy changes,” read parts of the notice.
The statement, which also urged Chinese enterprises to strengthen compliance and risk prevention, was interpreted by some officials as signalling unease among investors amid tightening controls in the extractive sector.
Mangwana responded forcefully, saying Zimbabwe would not compromise its mineral policies to please foreign investors.
“If protecting Zimbabwe’s mineral assets for the benefit of our own people upsets other countries, so be it.
“Nobody should progress at the expense of the Zimbabwean people.
“Our resources belong to our citizens, and we will not sacrifice their future just to keep foreign interests happy,” he said.
Chinese companies are the biggest foreign investors in Zimbabwe’s mining industry, particularly in lithium, chrome, coal and steel.
Since 2021 alone, Chinese firms have poured more than US$1.4 billion into Zimbabwe’s lithium sector, with additional billions committed across mining, manufacturing and infrastructure projects.
Major projects include the Chinese-owned Bikita Minerals lithium mine in Masvingo province, where Sinomine Resource Group invested about US$200 million to expand processing capacity, as well as the Arcadia lithium project in Goromonzi run by Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt.
Another flagship investment is the US$1 billion Manhize steel plant being developed by Tsingshan Holding Group through Dinson Iron and Steel, one of the largest foreign industrial investments in Zimbabwe’s history and a centrepiece of the government’s Look East policy.
Despite the scale of investment, Chinese mining operations have faced repeated criticism from communities and civil society groups over environmental damage, land degradation and alleged violations of local laws.
Reports from mining areas such as Goromonzi, Buhera and parts of Mashonaland East have linked some Chinese-run projects to dust pollution, destruction of grazing land, damage to water sources and disputes over ancestral land.
The growing tensions come as Zimbabwe tries to assert greater control over its mineral wealth while still relying heavily on foreign capital to develop the sector.
Officials say the export ban is part of a long-term strategy to force value addition inside the country, but analysts warn that policy changes, combined with concerns over environmental violations and inconsistent regulations, have created friction between Harare and some of its biggest investors.
