Mining in Zimbabwe: a briefing for South African contractors

Zimbabwe mined a record 50.5 tonnes of gold in 2025, by the Ministry of Mines’ count, and its mineral exports rose to US$7.3 billion. Gold, platinum-group metals (PGMs) on the Great Dyke, lithium, coal and chrome carry the industry. A South African contractor can work there, and no mining local content regulation for contractors is in force yet. The Mines and Minerals Bill 2025 would give the Minister power to set a local procurement percentage. The Chamber of Mines reports that lithium concentrate exports are banned until producers move to lithium sulphate.

Figures and rules checked 25 Sep 2026.

Mining in Zimbabwe: key figures

Sources: Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe, 2025 Annual Report, USGS MCS 2026 Lithium, USGS MCS 2026 Platinum-group metals, USGS MCS 2026 Diamond (industrial), all read 25 Sep 2026. The Chamber’s lithium figure is tonnes of material mined; the USGS figure is lithium content, so the two are not comparable.

Where mining happens in Zimbabwe

The Great Dyke carries the PGM mines. USGS lists the Ngezi mines 150 kilometres southwest of Harare, Unki 60 kilometres southeast of Gweru and Mimosa 150 kilometres east of Bulawayo. Chrome is mined along the northern and southern Great Dyke (USGS 2019 Minerals Yearbook, Zimbabwe). USGS lists gold mines around Kadoma, Kwekwe, Gwanda, Shurugwi and Penhalonga near Mutare. Coal comes from Hwange, including the Chaba and JKL open pits, and diamonds from Murowa near Zvishavane and the Marange field.

Lithium is the newer work. USGS counts “five mineral operations in Zimbabwe” among the main sources of world lithium in 2025 (USGS MCS 2026, Lithium). USGS places the Bikita mine 60 kilometres east of Masvingo. The Chamber reports that one key producer had started commissioning a lithium sulphate plant and others were “at various stages of complying with the deadline”.

For a South African contractor, that means load and haul and drill and blast at lithium, coal and gold operations. The Great Dyke adds underground development, and smelters and lithium sulphate plants add construction work.

Licences and the regulator

The Ministry of Mines and Mining Development runs the sector under the Mines and Minerals Act (Chapter 21:05) and the Mining (General) Regulations, 1977 (USGS). Mining fees and charges are those set in SI 40 of 2022, which “remained in force during 2025” (Chamber of Mines).

A replacement law is on the way. The Mines and Minerals Bill, 2025 (H.B. 1, 2025) sets out “to make provision for the indigenisation and localisation of the mining industry at the primary level of mining”. Mining Zimbabwe reported on 3 June 2026 that a parliamentary committee had given the government 14 days to revise six outstanding constitutional issues. Polite Kambamura, speaking for the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, told it that once they were fixed “the bill will proceed to Parliament, then to the Senate, before finally going to the President for assent into law” (Mining Zimbabwe). That is the latest status report we found, and we found no report of assent by 25 Sep 2026. Check the Bill’s status with the Ministry or Parliament before you sign a long contract.

Local content and ownership rules

Nothing read for this briefing sets a procurement share that mines must reserve for local contractors today. The Chamber’s own Local Content and Empowerment Committee and its suppliers sub-committee show where policy is heading. Ask each mine how it scores local participation in its tenders.

Zimbabwean work permits for contractors

The Department of Immigration issues a Temporary Employment Permit for foreign staff. Its listed requirements include:

• the residence permit form (I.F.5) and the Temporary Employment application form, with a letter to the Chief Director of Immigration
• the contract of employment and “Notarized academic and professional certificates”
• an “Advertisement in local newspaper”, CVs of shortlisted candidates, and the “CV and qualifications of persons identified to do understudy”
• police clearance not older than six months and a radiological certificate
• company documents, including the ZIDA licence and a ZIMRA tax clearance
• a “Statutory non-refundable fee of US$500 and US$300/dependent”.

The department’s pages do not state how long the permit runs. Ask when you apply.

Zimbabwean mining tax basics

These are facts from ZIMRA and the Chamber of Mines, read 25 Sep 2026.

• ZIMRA’s corporate rates page, undated and read 25 Sep 2026, lists 25% on “Income of a company or trust” and on “Income of a company or trust derived from mining operations”, and 15% for a special mining lease holder. An AIDS levy of 3% applies to the tax chargeable (ZIMRA, Tax Rates). A Harare tax consultancy, Lucent Consultancy, gives the rate as 24% plus the levy, an effective 24.72%, in a note dated 27 Aug 2026 (Lucent Consultancy). We could not confirm 24% on a ZIMRA page, so confirm the rate with ZIMRA or your adviser before pricing.
• VAT is charged at a standard rate of 15.5%. Registration is compulsory above US$25,000 of taxable supplies in 12 months (ZIMRA, Mechanics of VAT).
• Withholding taxes include “Non-Residents Tax on Fees” and “Withholding amounts payable under contracts”, remitted by the 10th of the following month (ZIMRA notice). Ask your client how it will treat your invoices.
• The Chamber reports royalties in 2025 of 7% on platinum, 7% on lithium and 10% on diamonds. Under Finance Act No. 7 of 2025, it says, gold royalty runs from 3% below US$1,200 an ounce to 10% above US$5,000.
• Exporters kept 70% of foreign currency earnings under the 2025 Monetary Policy Statement, down from 75% (Chamber).

Logistics from South Africa

Beitbridge is the only border post SARS lists between South Africa and Zimbabwe, on the Limpopo side at Musina (SARS, Border Posts). Any machine or spare sent directly by road from South Africa crosses there.

ZIMRA offers a duty rebate on goods “temporarily imported by contractors for the completion of such approved projects”. The goods cannot be sold, hired or lent in Zimbabwe without written permission and duty. Goods left behind after the project without authorisation “shall be liable to seizure” (ZIMRA). The page speaks of construction projects, so confirm whether your mining scope qualifies before the plant leaves South Africa.

Power is the other constraint. Zimbabwe generated about 1,400 MW in 2025 against a peak demand of 1,750 MW, covering the gap with imports. The Chamber expects mining demand to reach “at least 5,000 MW over the next four years”.

Risks and what to watch

Common questions

What does Zimbabwe mine?

Gold, platinum-group metals, lithium, coal, chrome and diamonds. The Ministry of Mines counted a record 50,514 kg of gold in 2025, and gold made up 60% of US$7.3 billion in mineral exports. PGMs come from the Great Dyke. USGS estimates 28,000 tonnes of lithium content in 2025.

Can a South African contractor work on a Zimbabwean mine?

Yes. No local content regulation for mining contractors is in force yet. The Mines and Minerals Bill 2025 would let the Minister require a percentage of goods and services to be bought locally. Trade press reported in June 2026 that the Bill was still awaiting its final stages. Staff need Temporary Employment Permits, and ZIMRA taxes and withholding apply to payments.

Can lithium concentrate be exported from Zimbabwe?

Not according to the latest report read. The Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe’s 2025 Annual Report says the government, by press statement, banned lithium concentrate exports until producers meet conditions of full disclosure and a lithium sulphate beneficiation threshold. Producers had been working to a roadmap for lithium sulphate from January 2027. Check the current position with the Ministry of Mines.

Sources

1. Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe, 2025 Annual Report (2026), read 25 Sep 2026
2. USGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Lithium (Feb 2026), read 25 Sep 2026
3. USGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Platinum-group metals (Feb 2026), read 25 Sep 2026
4. USGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Diamond (industrial) (Feb 2026), read 25 Sep 2026
5. USGS, 2019 Minerals Yearbook: Zimbabwe (Jul 2023), read 25 Sep 2026
6. Mines and Minerals Bill, 2025 (H.B. 1, 2025), read 25 Sep 2026
7. Mining Zimbabwe, Mines and Minerals Bill clears major hurdle (3 Jun 2026), read 25 Sep 2026
8. ZIMRA, Tax Rates, read 25 Sep 2026
9. ZIMRA, Mechanics of VAT, read 25 Sep 2026
10. ZIMRA, notice on withholding taxes, read 25 Sep 2026
11. ZIMRA, Rebate of duty on goods imported for approved construction projects, read 25 Sep 2026
12. Department of Immigration Zimbabwe, Temporary Employment Permit Requirements, read 25 Sep 2026
13. SARS, Border Posts, read 25 Sep 2026
14. Lucent Consultancy, Taxation of Special Mining Leases (SML) in Zimbabwe (27 Aug 2026), read 25 Sep 2026