Resource-rich African nations are increasingly asserting control over critical minerals to maximise domestic returns, sending global prices soaring and exerting pressure on Chinese supply chains.
Zimbabwe’s mines minister Polite Kambamura revealed in a post-cabinet briefing on March 3 that following notice of the intended ban, the industry had increased production and export volumes.
“There was also an increased appetite for lithium export permits, and the rationale behind it was to export as much product as possible before the notice period,” Kambamura said, explaining why the deadline was brought forward a year.
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What are rare earths, and why is China’s dominance facing global pushback
