Zimbabwe has enforced an immediate prohibition on the export of antimony and tungsten, intensifying its control over critical mineral shipments as authorities push mining firms to establish more processing operations within the country's borders.

According to a letter dated July 21 obtained by Bloomberg, Zimbabwe's Mining Ministry Secretary Thomas Wushe notified the state-owned Zimbabwe Mineral Marketing Company (MMCZ) of the instant suspension on antimony and tungsten exports, which equally applies to ore and concentrate cargoes. The mining ministry has verified the document's authenticity.

This action directly disrupts mining companies' delivery schedules, with MMCZ serving as the exclusive sales agent for all of Zimbabwe's mineral resources except gold and silver.

Domestic processing strategy tightens further

The current ban represents another step in the government's systematic push toward value addition of its mineral wealth locally.

Back in February, Zimbabwe suspended lithium concentrate exports to encourage higher-value processing at home and curb illicit shipments of the electric vehicle battery material. Those restrictions were partially relaxed in April, with a complete ban scheduled to take effect in early 2027.

In May, the government released its Minerals Classification and Declaration, formally designating lithium and other high-value minerals as "critical minerals" subject to equity and export controls. The list encompasses 14 minerals: lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite, copper, rare earth elements, chromium, platinum group metals (PGMs), manganese, antimony, uranium, ruthenium, tungsten, and niobium. The framework also establishes the principle of mandatory minimum state equity stakes through designated special purpose vehicles.

Notably, the antimony and tungsten ban arrives without any disclosed timeline for lifting, suggesting a more direct enforcement approach.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, Zimbabwe possesses abundant natural resources. The country's mineral deposits are diverse, high-grade, and substantial, primarily concentrated in the Great Dyke mineral corridor — stretching 550 kilometres in length and 4 kilometres in width across the nation — along with the greenstone belts in Manicaland Province. Roughly 60 mineral types have been identified, with diamonds, platinum, gold, chromium, iron, lithium, coal, nickel, copper, and asbestos ranking among the key advantages.

African resource nations pursue similar paths

Zimbabwe's approach aligns with a broader trend across Africa's resource-rich economies. Countries including Guinea, Ghana, and the Democratic Republic of Congo have all sought greater economic returns from their natural endowments in recent years, moving away from exporting raw materials in unprocessed form.

By restricting raw ore and concentrate exports while compelling companies to build local processing capacity, these nations aim to convert resource advantages into higher-value segments of the production chain, thereby strengthening their position within global commodity supply networks.