Lithium in Zimbabwe: A future boom of doom?

Electric vehicles (EV) sales are on the rise. One of key ingredients for EV batteries is , which is not that easily replaced as a key element in batteries. Thus, the demand in the lightweight mineral will continue to grow 鈥� . Considering the current geopolitical tensions and the in the lithium supply chain, we may ask where all that lithium will be coming from to enable our green energy future.

Bolivia has enormous reserves, and Australia currently cover most of the global needs, but what about a country like Zimbabwe? The Southern African state seldom receives any attention when speaking of lithium. Yet, geologically, it has 鈥樷€� and vast lithium . But with few existing mining and explorative it is, however, only starting to tap into the global lithium battery market.

Optimism about the growing number of electric cars rolling on the streets of Europe and China and the recent of the lithium market caused ripples in Zimbabwe. With high hopes, several newspapers reported about the of lithium mining being an . The Zimbabwean government has high ambitions for its mining industry, having announced its revenues to be and proposing to in lithium processing plants.

Contrary to this excitement, Zimbabwean civil society organisations are concerned about the upcoming lithium mining industry. In a recent online event on the future of lithium mining in Zimbabwe, one Zimbabwean activist was worried that 鈥榣ithium would rather become a curse and only benefit few people鈥�. The country has been struggling with transparency and natural resource governance, the activist explained, and 鈥榤ining without good regulation has already destroyed us鈥�. Zimbabwe has a long history with mining, one marked by illicit trade, corruption and 鈥榚xtreme, destructive elite predation鈥�, as researchers argue.

Many, but not all, companies shy away from investments in Zimbabwe鈥檚 extractive industries due to the country鈥檚 economic and political instability. Even Emmerson Mnangagwa and his 鈥榦pen for business鈥�-mantra assumed the presidency from long-term ruler Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe finds itself in a protracted economic crisis, experiencing hyperinflation, limited foreign investment, and lacking resources for basic services and infrastructure. Moreover, repression and violence against the , and has continued in the post-Mugabe era. Civil society questions the kinds of businessmen the emerging lithium industry may attract and fear the kinds of agreements reached behind closed doors. Furthermore, the activist highlighted the knowledge gap between and the lithium industry and the Zimbabweans 鈥� government and civil society: 鈥淒o we really have people who understand the lithium industry and value chain?鈥�

The future of Zimbabwe鈥檚 lithium is uncertain. Since the global demand skyrocketed in the past 10 years, Zimbabwe鈥檚 underground metal and mineral resources have not been without controversy: concerns about transparency and governance as well as hopes to fulfil national or personal economic dreams were raised. Lithium is critical for the energy transition in the global North, yet in reality soaring demand for the mineral is likely to only consolidate the exploitative extractive state in Zimbabwe.