The Ministry of Mines and Mining Development has ordered an immediate suspension of all exports of antimony and tungsten, including ores and concentrates, as the government intensifies its push for local mineral beneficiation and value addition.
The directive, issued on July 21, 2026, and addressed to Dr N.J. Moyo, General Manager of the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ), instructed the state-owned minerals marketing agency to halt exports of the two minerals with immediate effect and until further notice.
"The Ministry of Mines and Mining Development hereby directs the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) to suspend, with immediate effect and until further notice, the export of antimony and tungsten in all forms, including ores and concentrates," the directive states.
Zimbabwe has increasingly sought to reduce its reliance on exports of unprocessed minerals, with authorities advocating for greater domestic processing to capture more economic value within the country.
The latest measure extends this policy to antimony and tungsten, two minerals that hold significant industrial applications.
For the time being, the government's position is unequivocal: all exports of antimony and tungsten, in any form including ores and concentrates, are suspended with immediate effect and will remain so until further notice.
