ZMF seeks reprieve on Lithium exports
By Harry Taruva
The Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) has written to President Emmerson Mnangagwa asking for a temporary reprieve and permission to export raw lithium for a period of 6 months.
According to the letter signed by ZMF President Henrietta Rushwaya and copied to Mines Minister Winston Chitando,the ban has negatively affected small scale miners.
Said Rushwaya ” Your Excellency, this humble request has been necessitated by the following
reasons:
The unexpected ban has prejudiced standing off-take agreements between miners and international buyers some of whom had taken loans from their respective countries to finance trade in these minerals. Some miners have found themselves stuck with huge stockpiles thus locking Cash Flows and affecting operations.”
In their appeal to the President, the ZMF further expressed hope that the temporary moratorium would unlock the required foreign currency and help expedite the setting up of beneficiation plants for the processing of base minerals.
“The temporary moratorium will unlock foreign Currency earnings to boost
market liquidity and expand Government’s revenue base through royalty
fee payments and associated taxes” the ZMF said in their request for a waiver.
The blanket ban enacted by the government last December in a bid to encourage local processing of the metal — has resulted in 2 million tons of ore being stockpiled, according to Zimbabwe Miners Federation President Henrietta Rushwaya and now ZMF has asked President Emmerson Mnangagwa to review the ban as it threatens the viability of their operations.
Most of the Lithium mined in Zimbabwe is usually shipped to China and South Africa.
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