AS Zimbabwe implements the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2) in pursuit of upper-middle-income status by 2030, the mining sector is expected to remain a central driver of economic growth, industrialisation, and export earnings.
In an interview with ZBC News, the Minister of Mines and Mining Development, Honourable Polite Kambamura, said gains recorded under NDS1 had laid a solid foundation for the sector’s expanded role under the new development framework.
“We recorded exponential growth in the mining industry as a result of NDS1.
Value addition and beneficiation played a key role after we expanded production. Previously closed mines were reopened, leading to increased production volumes across the sector,” Minister Kambamura said.
He attributed much of the renewed momentum to policy reforms aimed at retaining value within the domestic economy, particularly the ban on the export of raw minerals.
“The ban opens doors for major mining companies and investors to establish operations locally. We are constructing value addition and beneficiation facilities in the lithium sector. Companies such as Arcadia Lithium and Bikita Minerals have already set up state-of-the-art processing facilities,” he said.
The Minister also cited the Kamativi project and the Dinson Iron and Steel Company’s flagship project in Manhize as milestones in the sector’s transformation.
“As a result of these projects, Zimbabwe is now rated as Africa’s largest steel-producing country. Following the ban on raw chrome exports, we witnessed increased investor interest in establishing smelters locally, which was not happening before
The value of ferrochrome is far higher than that of raw chrome,” he added.
Looking ahead, Minister Kambamura said the government is planning a comprehensive national exploration programme to enhance strategic planning in the mining sector.
“We are going to embark on a national exploration drive, where companies will conduct aerial surveys to identify the country’s mineral base. This will enable us to plan strategically, determining when to mine, who to allocate mining rights to, and the type of investors we should consider. Ultimately, this will bring ripple benefits to the government and the economy at large,” he said.
With value addition, beneficiation, sustainability, and productivity at the core of policy direction, the mining sector is positioned as a key enabler of NDS2 and Zimbabwe’s broader industrial and economic transformation agenda.
