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Reuters
6 hours ago
- Business
- Reuters
Zimbabwe's spodumene exports surge 30% despite weak lithium prices
HARARE, July 21 (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's exports of spodumene concentrate, a lithium-bearing mineral essential for battery production, surged 30% in the first half of 2025 despite weak global lithium prices, official statistics show. Africa's top lithium producer exported 586,197 metric tons of spodumene concentrate between January and June, compared to 451,824 metric tons during the same period last year, according to statistics from the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) obtained by Reuters on Monday. Prices of lithium - used in batteries to power renewable energy technologies - have tumbled nearly 90% over the past two years, mainly due to oversupply, but producers remain positive about the metal's long-term prospects amid a global push towards cleaner energy sources and electric vehicles. "A notable market contradiction was observed in the lithium sector, where prices declined despite a continuous rise in demand for lithium metal," Zimbabwe's state minerals marketer MMCZ said in a statement. "Lithium prices are, however, expected to improve in the medium-term," it added. China's Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt ( opens new tab, Sinomine ( opens new tab, Chengxin Lithium Group ( opens new tab, Yahua Group ( opens new tab and Tsingshan dominate Zimbabwe's lithium mining, producing concentrates and shipping them to their home country. These companies have invested in excess of $1.4 billion since 2021 to acquire and develop the lithium assets, according to the MMCZ. The southern African country says it will ban the export of lithium concentrates from 2027 to promote more local processing. Huayou, which exported 400,000 tons of lithium concentrate from Zimbabwe in 2024, says it has started building a 50,000-ton per year lithium sulphate plant in the country. Sinomine has also announced plans to build a $500 million lithium sulphate plant at its Bikita mine in Zimbabwe. Lithium sulphate is an intermediate product which can be refined into a battery-grade material such as lithium hydroxide or lithium carbonate used in battery manufacturing.


Washington Post
3 days ago
- Business
- Washington Post
Trump's pivot from aid to trade leaves Africa wary as it faces tariffs and uncertainty
HARARE, Zimbabwe — When U.S. President Donald Trump met five African leaders in Washington in July, his lack of familiarity with the continent was on display. He praised Liberian President Joseph Boakai's English — Liberia's official language — and gestured at another leader to wrap up remarks. But the bigger takeaway was Trump's pledge to transform U.S.-Africa relations: a shift from aid to trade, even as the region reels from steep tariffs and sweeping aid cuts. African leaders offered minerals from manganese to uranium and possibly lithium. Senegal's president even sought to leverage Trump's love of golf by inviting him to build a course. Yet many nations are anxious about Washington's new path. After slashing billions in foreign aid, including shutting down the U.S. Agency for International Development — which provided over $12 billion in humanitarian assistance in 2025 alone — the Trump administration says it is forging a new approach: 'commercial diplomacy.' Trade, not aid, is the order of the day. 'It is now truly our policy for Africa,' said Troy Fitrell, the top U.S. diplomat for Africa, when announcing the strategy in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, in May. Ambassadors will now be judged not by aid projects but on 'how well they support' local businesses and 'how effectively they advocate for U.S. business and the number of deals they facilitate,' he said. Africa accounts for less than 1% of U.S. goods trade, but Fitrell called it 'the world's largest untapped market,' projecting its purchasing power could surpass $16 trillion by 2050. Washington touts quick progress: 33 agreements worth $6 billion in Trump's first 100 days, plus $2.5 billion in commitments at a U.S.-Africa business summit in June. Projects span grain storage and digital infrastructure in Angola, energy ventures in Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Congo, and tourism in Ethiopia. Still, many worry about the costs. Job losses and economic pain from tariffs are mounting even as Washington celebrates these wins. Trump did not invent the idea of trade over aid. African leaders have pushed for this since the 1970s. The problem, critics say, is the caveat: steep tariffs and uncertainty over the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), the U.S. flagship program for trade with the continent. 'In reality, these tariffs are not about trade balances. It's economic warfare,' said the Alternative Information and Development Centre, a South African NGO. Trump has imposed a 30% tariff on selected South African goods and threatens another 10% for nations aligned with the BRICS bloc of developing economies. South Africa's Automotive Business Council says vehicle exports to the U.S. have plunged over 80%, warning that tariffs 'strike at the heart of South Africa's industrialization agenda.' More than 100,000 jobs, mostly in auto and agriculture, are at risk, the council says. Smaller nations are also reeling. Lesotho declared a state of disaster after being hit with 50% duties — the second-highest rate after China — before Trump announced a 90-day pause. About 12,000 textile jobs hang in the balance, according to Lesotho's Minister of Trade, Industry, and Business Development, Mokhethi Shelile. From vanilla farmers in Madagascar to cocoa growers in Ivory Coast and oil exporters in Nigeria, tariffs have shaken economies and raised doubts about Washington's intent. 'The U.S. certainly can't have it both ways,' said Bester Brendon Verster, an economist at Oxford Economics Africa. 'The 'aid to trade' stance risks leaving Africa behind once the U.S. has gotten what it wanted, which will probably be critical minerals.' AGOA, enacted in 2000 and renewed in 2015, allows duty-free U.S. access for nearly 2,000 goods from 32 African nations. It expires in September, with no clear sign that it will be renewed. South Africa's trade minister warned it will be 'very difficult' to keep AGOA under current conditions. Fitrell said he is a 'big fan' of the deal but told African leaders they must do more to lobby Congress. Future arrangements may require 'much greater attention toward some form of reciprocity' to reflect Trump's push for U.S. economic interests, he said. Meanwhile, China is leveraging zero-tariff policies to expand its influence. In June, China — already Africa's biggest trading partner — said it plans to grant duty-free market access to 53 African nations. Still, Verster said some African nations might be cautious about strengthening ties with China, for fear of triggering retaliation from the U.S. 'Aligning with China … could possibly bring about more economic punishment from the U.S.,' he said.

Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Robinson and fast bowlers earn New Zealand a 21-run victory over South Africa
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — An unbeaten century stand between Tim Robinson and debutant Bevon Jacobs earned New Zealand a 21-run victory over South Africa in a T20 tri-series match Wednesday. Robinson smashed 75 not out off 57 balls and Jacobs smacked three sixes in his unbeaten 44 to propel New Zealand to 173-5 after it crumbled to 70-5 inside the first half of its innings. Advertisement South Africa, which made three changes from the team that beat Zimbabwe, was bowled out for 152 in 18.2 overs with fast bowlers Jacob Duffy (3-20) and Matt Henry (3-34) sharing six wickets between them. South Africa falls well short Lhuan-dre Pretorius provided South Africa with a brisk start by hitting six boundaries in his knock of 27 before Henry and Duffy hit back with two quick wickets. Pretorius tried to guide Henry's slower ball down to third man but got a thick outside edge to wicketkeeper Tim Seifert, while Rubin Hermann was outdone by Duffy's short ball and was caught at mid-wicket for just 1 run. Advertisement South Africa promoted debutant left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy to No. 4, but the left-hander got his middle stumped knocked over by Ish Sodhi soon after the batting powerplay. Captain Rassie van der Dussen (6) was brilliantly run out by his counterpart Mitchell Santner at the non-striker's end as South Africa slumped to 62-5 in the ninth over. Dewald Brevis put the chase back on track with 35 runs off 18 balls and George Linde made a brisk 30 off 20 balls but both holed out in the outfield while looking for big hits against Henry and Duffy, respectively. Duffy was on a hat trick when he dismissed Linde and Kwena Maphaka off successive balls but No. 11 Lungi Ngidi survived the hat-trick ball before Henry finished off the game by having Gerald Coetzee caught at mid-wicket. Advertisement Robinson and Jacobs revive Black Caps New Zealand's top order crumbled against short balls as Devon Conway's (9) return to T20s after three years lasted only seven balls before he top-edged Maphaka (2-38). Daryl Mitchell and Mitchell Hay both fell for single digits while James Neesham got his seventh duck in T20s when he pulled Maphaka to deep square leg and was caught by Corbin Bosch. But Robinson and Jacobs revived the Black Caps with their 103-run partnership and got the perfect finish by scoring 63 runs off the last five overs. Robinson completed his half-century with a six against Coetzee, who came back to international cricket after a nine-month injury layoff and conceded 19 runs in the final over to finish with 1-39. ___ AP cricket:


Associated Press
5 days ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
Robinson and fast bowlers earn New Zealand a 21-run victory over South Africa
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — An unbeaten century stand between Tim Robinson and debutant Bevon Jacobs earned New Zealand a 21-run victory over South Africa in a T20 tri-series match Wednesday. Robinson smashed 75 not out off 57 balls and Jacobs smacked three sixes in his unbeaten 44 to propel New Zealand to 173-5 after it crumbled to 70-5 inside the first half of its innings. South Africa, which made three changes from the team that beat Zimbabwe, was bowled out for 152 in 18.2 overs with fast bowlers Jacob Duffy (3-20) and Matt Henry (3-34) sharing six wickets between them. South Africa falls well short Lhuan-dre Pretorius provided South Africa with a brisk start by hitting six boundaries in his knock of 27 before Henry and Duffy hit back with two quick wickets. Pretorius tried to guide Henry's slower ball down to third man but got a thick outside edge to wicketkeeper Tim Seifert, while Rubin Hermann was outdone by Duffy's short ball and was caught at mid-wicket for just 1 run. South Africa promoted debutant left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy to No. 4, but the left-hander got his middle stumped knocked over by Ish Sodhi soon after the batting powerplay. Captain Rassie van der Dussen (6) was brilliantly run out by his counterpart Mitchell Santner at the non-striker's end as South Africa slumped to 62-5 in the ninth over. Dewald Brevis put the chase back on track with 35 runs off 18 balls and George Linde made a brisk 30 off 20 balls but both holed out in the outfield while looking for big hits against Henry and Duffy, respectively. Duffy was on a hat trick when he dismissed Linde and Kwena Maphaka off successive balls but No. 11 Lungi Ngidi survived the hat-trick ball before Henry finished off the game by having Gerald Coetzee caught at mid-wicket. Robinson and Jacobs revive Black Caps New Zealand's top order crumbled against short balls as Devon Conway's (9) return to T20s after three years lasted only seven balls before he top-edged Maphaka (2-38). Daryl Mitchell and Mitchell Hay both fell for single digits while James Neesham got his seventh duck in T20s when he pulled Maphaka to deep square leg and was caught by Corbin Bosch. But Robinson and Jacobs revived the Black Caps with their 103-run partnership and got the perfect finish by scoring 63 runs off the last five overs. Robinson completed his half-century with a six against Coetzee, who came back to international cricket after a nine-month injury layoff and conceded 19 runs in the final over to finish with 1-39. ___ AP cricket:


Associated Press
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Hermann's debut heroics lead South Africa to T20 victory over Zimbabwe
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — South African batter Rubin Hermann made an impressive T20 debut and led Proteas to a five-wicket victory against Zimbabwe in the opening game of the tri-series on Monday. The 28-year-old Herman top-scored with 45 off 37 balls and made up for the top-order collapse before South Africa cruised to 142-5 in 15.5 overs in its first T20 this year. Dewald Brevis smashed five sixes in his belligerent 41 off just 17 balls in a strong Proteas chase. Zimbabwe was earlier limited to 141-6, despite an unbeaten 54 from its skipper Sikandar Raza, with George Linde picking up 3-10 after South Africa captain Rassie van der Dussen won the toss and elected to field. Fast bowlers Lungi Ngidi (1-15) and Nandre Burger (1-22), returning after almost 10-month absence from lower-back stress fracture, bowled well upfront before Raza and Ryan Burl (29) provided the acceleration for Zimbabwe in the second half of the innings. South Africa will take on New Zealand in the second game of the tri-series on Wednesday. Hermann and Brevis control the chase Tall fast bowler Richard Ngarava (3-35) struck twice inside the powerplay when another debutant Lhuan-dre Pretorius offered a return catch off the first legitimate ball in Proteas' chase and Reeza Hendricks' middle stump was knocked over when he tried to go for an ambitious drive and got a big inside edge. Captain van der Dussen struck two sixes, but was caught at mid-on off fast bowler Trevor Gwandu (2-15) as South Africa slipped to 3-38 in the sixth over. But Herman and Brevis steadied the chase with 72-run stand as Brevis smashed Burl for 25 runs in one over that featured three sixes and a boundary. Brevis fell in the 12th over when he tried to hit Gwandu inside out over extra cover and sliced a catch to Bennett. Ngarava flattened Hermann's off-stump off a ball that kept a bit low with only 12 needed for victory. Pace and spin pin down Zimbabwe Fast bowlers Ngidi and Burger didn't allow Zimbabwe batters to score freely in the first half and Brian Bennett's (30) patience also ran out as he holed out to deep mid-wicket when he tried to push the acceleration against Linde in the 11th over. Raza and Burl tried to up the ante in the death overs but Burl was caught by Hermann at long off in the 18th over after scoring 29 off 20 balls. Linde picked up two wickets of successive balls in the final over before Wellington Masakadza avoided the hat-trick ball, but left-arm spinner Linde finished off well without conceding a boundary off his three overs. ___ AP cricket: