Zimbabwe's industrial policy: mineral value addition, manufacturing and industrialisation.
Beneficiation: Govt takes lead - herald (April 8, 2026)
GOVERNMENT has identified at least eight mining sites — mainly in the lithium and iron sectors — for designation as Special Economic Zones, in a major policy position aimed at boosting mineral value addition, attracting investment and accelerating industrialisation. ... Industry and Commerce Minister Dr Mangaliso Ndlovu said: “For the first time, our industrial policy explicitly focuses on mineral value addition, manufacturing and industrialisation”.
Industry and Commerce Minister Dr Mangaliso Ndlovu said an inter-ministerial committee has already completed drafting the concept, which now awaits Cabinet approval. “We have identified between eight and 11 mines across the country, mainly in the iron and lithium sectors, that will be placed under Special Economic Zones,” said Dr Ndlovu in an interview last week. ...
Speaking during a recent Question and Answer session in the National Assembly, Dr Ndlovu said the new industrial policy places strong emphasis on linking mining to manufacturing. “For the first time, our industrial policy explicitly focuses on mineral value addition, manufacturing and industrialisation,” he said.
“This is a deliberate effort to ensure that our minerals contribute meaningfully to the growth of local industry. The ban on the export of raw lithium is part of this broader strategy to prioritise beneficiation.”