Zimbabwe's mineral exports surged by 84 percent in the first half of 2026, reaching US$2.532 billion, as strong global demand, favourable commodity prices and increased mineral processing boosted earnings.
The Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) said the figure represented a significant increase from the US$1.376 billion recorded during the same period last year, reflecting continued growth in the country's mineral sector.
MMCZ General Manager Nomusa Jane Moyo said the performance showed that the country's push for beneficiation and value addition was beginning to yield results.
"The US$2.532 billion recorded demonstrates the impact of the beneficiation and value addition policy. Based on the market trends and performance of our key mineral commodities, we are confident of surpassing our projected annual revenue this year," Moyo said.
Platinum group metals (PGM) matte was the largest contributor to export earnings, accounting for 33.93 percent of total exports, followed by spodumene concentrates at 26.57 percent and PGM concentrates at 13.73 percent.
The three commodities accounted for more than 74 percent of MMCZ-facilitated mineral export earnings during the period.
MMCZ said the figures underscored Zimbabwe's growing importance in the global supply of platinum group metals and critical minerals required for the clean energy transition.
The corporation also reported growth in lithium sulphate exports, driven by increased local processing before shipment.
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Moyo said the development marked a major step towards positioning Zimbabwe as a regional hub for battery mineral processing.
"The Corporation views this development as an important step towards establishing Zimbabwe as a regional hub for battery mineral processing," she said.
Zimbabwe has been seeking to increase value retention from its mineral resources by encouraging companies to process minerals locally before export.
Moyo said the sector's performance demonstrated that the value of mineral exports was now being measured beyond the volumes shipped.
"The results confirm that success in the mineral sector is no longer measured simply by export volumes, but by the value realised from every tonne exported," she said.
She said the country was increasingly exporting processed products such as ferrochrome, steel, polished granite slabs and lithium sulphate, which generate higher returns than raw minerals.
Meanwhile, MMCZ said it was strengthening monitoring systems to safeguard mineral revenues through enhanced contract monitoring, mineral valuation, price verification and inspections.
The corporation said it was also investing in digital systems and laboratory capacity to improve transparency and traceability across the mineral export value chain.
For the second half of the year, MMCZ expects platinum group metals, lithium products, ferrochrome, steel and coke to remain the main drivers of export growth, supported by increased beneficiation and market diversification.
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