Centre.. Hon Polite Kambamura Minister of Mines flanked by Perm Sec Nick Mangwana and Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe Pvt ltd General Manager
By Desire Tshuma
Mashonaland East – The Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, led by Permanent Secretary Nick Mangwana, today joined Hon Minister of Mines and Mining Development Polite Kambamura on a tour of Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe Pvt Ltd in Goromonzi. State Minister for Mashonaland East Advocate Itai Ndudzo was also in attendance.
The visit forms part of government’s ongoing engagements with strategic investors in the lithium sector as Zimbabwe pushes to meet its US$12 billion mining industry target and advance beneficiation of critical minerals.
Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe, a subsidiary of Chinese firm Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt, operates one of the country’s largest lithium processing facilities.
Addressing management and staff during the tour, Hon Kambamura commended the company for its investment and job creation, and urged accelerated progress on downstream processing.
“Government is happy with the progress here at Prospect Lithium. We want to see more value addition happening in Zimbabwe. The era of exporting raw lithium is behind us. We want batteries, we want components, and we want Zimbabweans to benefit from the full value chain,” Kambamura said.
He said the Mines Ministry will continue working closely with investors to address challenges around energy, logistics and skills development to ensure the lithium sector contributes meaningfully to economic growth.
State Minister for Mashonaland East Advocate Itai Ndudzo said the project was transforming the province and creating opportunities for locals.
“This investment is a game changer for Mashonaland East. Beyond mining, we are seeing employment, community projects and skills transfer. As provincial leadership we will continue to create a conducive environment for investors who are willing to partner with government in development,” Ndudzo said.
Permanent Secretary for Media and Broadcasting Services Nick Mangwana said the tour was important for informing citizens on progress in the mining sector.
“We are here as the Ministry of Information to see first-hand the investments that are happening and to tell the Zimbabwean story. Prospect Lithium is a clear example of the kind of investment that is aligning with Vision 2030, creating jobs and driving industrialization,” Mangwana said.
The Manager for Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe Pvt Ltd took the ministers through the processing plant, outlining operations from ore extraction to concentrate production. He highlighted the company’s commitment to skills transfer, environmental management, and community development in surrounding areas.
Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe has been ramping up output and is one of the key players supplying lithium concentrate to the global battery market.
Lithium has become a strategic mineral for Zimbabwe, with huge deposits attracting billions in foreign direct investment. Government banned raw lithium exports in 2022 to force beneficiation and value addition locally.
Today’s tour underscores government’s push to ensure mining investments translate into industrialization, technology transfer and community development in line with Vision 2030.lThe delegation later toured other sections of the plant before departing.