Zimbabwe’s Verify Engineering Begins Lithium Battery Production

Zimbabwean company Verify Engineering has commenced the production of lithium batteries, marking a significant step in the nation’s efforts to enhance local value addition in its lithium industry. As Africa's leading producer of lithium, Zimbabwe is advancing its capabilities in processing this critical metal domestically.

The state-owned daily, The Herald, reported on July 8 that Verify Engineering, which is fully owned by the government through the Ministry of Higher Education, has also set its sights on manufacturing batteries for electric vehicles (EVs). The plant, located in Mutare, eastern Zimbabwe, is currently producing oxygen for export to neighboring Mozambique, along with acetylene and liquid nitrogen, according to the ministry's permanent secretary, Fanuel Tagwira.

In December 2022, Zimbabwe banned the export of raw lithium ore to encourage local processing and maximize the economic benefits of its lithium resources. This move aligns with the country’s broader strategy of developing a mines-to-energy industrial area in collaboration with a Chinese investor. The comprehensive complex will include two 300-megawatt power stations, a coking plant, a lithium salt plant, a graphite processing plant, a nickel-chromium alloy smelter, and a nickel sulphate plant, The Herald reported.

Zimbabwe's efforts have attracted over $1 billion in investment from Chinese companies such as Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt and Sinomine Resource Group. These investments focus on processing lithium to concentrate stage for further refinement in China, demonstrating the country’s growing importance in the global lithium supply chain.