Zimbabwe Reserves Small-Scale Gold Mining for Citizens, Bans Raw Mineral Exports

Polite Kambamura, Zimbabwe's Mines and Mining Development Minister, announced sweeping mining reforms on May 22, 2026, that reserve small- and medium-scale gold mining exclusively for indigenous Zimbabwean citizens and companies. Foreign individuals and companies are now prohibited from acquiring, holding, or controlling small-scale mining titles, including through joint ventures or proxy ownership. Small-scale operations are defined as those producing up to 20 kilograms of gold monthly with capital investments up to 15 million U.S. dollars. Foreign operators currently in the small-scale sector must transition to large-scale operations by January 1, 2027, or exit. The government also mandated that 98 percent of senior and middle management positions at all mines be held by Zimbabwean nationals.

Simultaneously, the government designated lithium and over a dozen other minerals — including nickel, cobalt, graphite, copper, rare earth elements, chrome, platinum group metals, manganese, antimony, uranium, ruthenium, tungsten, and niobium — as critical minerals subject to mandatory government shareholding through special-purpose vehicles. Metallurgical coal was labeled a special critical mineral, while gold, diamonds, oil, gas, and iron ore were classified as strategic minerals. The export of critical minerals in raw or unbeneficiated form is now prohibited unless authorized by a minister-approved transitional plan with a timeline for local beneficiation.

Kambamura said the government will target idle foreign-owned mining assets held for speculation and encouraged all idle foreign-owned gold mining assets to be developed. Current operators must re-register by January 1, 2027, to verify citizenship and legal compliance. Heap leaching mines must now register with the Minister's office, and stricter compliance requirements apply to production and financial records. Kambamura stated the government remains committed to an open and investment-friendly environment for responsible foreign investment in Zimbabwe's mining sector.