Societal and Legal Implications of Mining, Processing and Value Addition of Zimbabwean Energy Storage Minerals

Zimbabwe holds significant reserves of lithium and vanadium, key minerals for energy storage technologies critical to the global energy transition. Despite this potential, the country faces major challenges in leveraging these resources for sustainable development. The study investigates the societal and legal implications of mining, processing, and value addition of these minerals, focusing on governance, environmental, and socio-economic dimensions. Using a qualitative methodology comprising interviews, questionnaires, and field observations the research identifies weak regulatory enforcement, inadequate beneficiation policies, environmental harm, and limited community benefits as core issues. The findings highlight the absence of a coherent legal and policy framework to guide sustainable exploitation and equitable resource distribution. In conclusion, Zimbabwe’s mineral wealth can only drive socio-economic transformation if supported by strong governance structures, a dedicated statutory beneficiation body, and effective legal enforcement. It advocates for inclusive policy reforms and public-private partnerships to maximize value addition and promote sustainable national development. Received: 9 June 2025 / Accepted: 29 August 2025 / Published: 12 September 2025