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Mines and Mining Development Minister Dr Polite Kambamura has banned Provincial Mining Directors (PMDs) from issuing recommendation letters for mineral export applications, directing provincial offices to provide technical information while leaving approval decisions to the designated authority at Head Office, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Rudairo Mapuranga
The directive comes as Zimbabwe tightens its mineral export controls following the February 2026 suspension of raw mineral and lithium concentrate exports, introduced to accelerate local beneficiation and strengthen oversight of mineral exports.
Addressing officials at the Ministry’s 2027 Strategic Planning Review Workshop in Kadoma, Dr Kambamura said some provincial offices had been issuing recommendation letters to companies seeking to export minerals in forms that had not been approved by the Ministry.
He said applicants were subsequently using the letters to approach Head Office, presenting provincial recommendations as authority to support their export applications.
“I have been receiving some letters from provinces, recommendation letters actually, for people to export minerals in forms that we did not approve. A letter comes from a PMD saying Permanent Secretary, Minister, I am recommending this company to export this mineral in this form,” Dr Kambamura said.
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The Minister said the practice was creating confusion over the authority responsible for approving mineral exports, particularly where applicants invoked provincial directives to pressure Head Office into supporting their applications.
“The applicant, equipped with the letter from the province, is coming to my office with authority. let’s follow the directive that we have been given from Head Office, a directive that would have come from the President,” he said.
Under the new directive, PMDs are expected to restrict their involvement to providing technical information relating to the particular mine, mineral and export consignment, without recommending companies for approval.
“PMDs should not recommend but provide technical information with regards to the particular mine, particular mineral, particular export consignment. The decision to approve that has the issuing authority,” Dr Kambamura said.
The February 2026 export restrictions suspended the export of raw minerals and lithium concentrates until further notice, with the Government also introducing conditions governing permitted mineral exports. These included requirements for applicants to provide information on their beneficiation capacity and regulatory compliance, supported by documentation from provincial mining offices.
The latest directive changes the role of provincial officials in the approval process, placing greater emphasis on technical verification rather than recommendations for individual applicants.
Dr Kambamura said provincial offices and Head Office would work together to implement the directive, adding that it would remain the Ministry’s position unless further changes were communicated.