Zimbabwe recorded 18 suspected cases of mineral smuggling and irregular mineral movements involving 2658.88 tonnes of minerals between January and August 2026, raising concerns over continued leakages of the country’s mineral wealth.
The cases, recorded between January 1 and August 20, involved strategic minerals including lithium, chrome and silica, according to the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ)’s Mineral Resource Accounting and Surveillance Update.
Member of Parliament Bridget Nyandoro raised the issue in Parliament on Tuesday, describing mineral leakages as a national economic security concern.
“According to the recent document published by the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ), Mineral Resource Accounting and Surveillance Update, 18 cases of suspected mineral smuggling and irregular mineral movements involving 2 658.88 tonnes were recorded between the period of January and 20 August 2026,” Nyandoro said.
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She said some of the cases involved falsified export documents, cargo misdeclaration and attempts to export unbeneficiated mineral ore, exposing weaknesses in Zimbabwe’s regulatory and border control systems.
“What is even more worrying is that these cases involved falsified export documents, cargo misdeclaration and attempts to export unbeneficiated mineral ore,” she said.
“This shows that the criminal syndicates are exploiting weaknesses in our regulatory and border control systems.”
Zimbabwe has identified mining as a key pillar of economic development, with the government seeking to increase mineral production, beneficiation and value addition to drive economic growth.
However, Nyandoro warned that mineral leakages were undermining the potential benefits of the country’s vast mineral resources.
“Every truck of minerals that leaves this country illegally is a classroom not built, a hospital not equipped, a road not repaired and jobs lost for our young people,” she said.
“Mineral leakages are not just a mining issue. They are a national economic security issue. Zimbabwe cannot achieve Vision 2030 while our mineral wealth continues to benefit smugglers instead of citizens.”
Nyandoro said the success of Zimbabwe’s mining sector should not be measured solely by the volume of minerals extracted, but by how mineral wealth improves the lives of citizens.
“It is my considered view that the true measure of mineral wealth is not what we extract from the ground but what reaches the lives of the people of Zimbabwe,” she said.
“Our minerals should build Zimbabwe before they leave Zimbabwe.”
She called on Parliament and the government to strengthen measures to combat mineral smuggling, including imposing stiffer penalties on offenders and those involved in fraudulent export documentation.
Nyandoro also proposed a fully traceable mine-to-market mineral tracking system supported by artificial intelligence, which would enable authorities to monitor minerals from extraction through transportation and export.
She urged closer cooperation among the MMCZ, Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA), Zimbabwe Republic Police and Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) to strengthen surveillance, investigations and enforcement.
She further called for the acceleration of beneficiation and value addition, arguing that processing minerals locally would create industries and employment opportunities while retaining more value within Zimbabwe.
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