View from the ground: January concentrate export ban deadline looms over Zimbabwe’s 2026 annual mining conference

Article | Jul 14, 2026 | 4 min read

View from the ground: January concentrate export ban deadline looms over Zimbabwe’s 2026 annual mining conference

Tensions between lithium miners in Zimbabwe and the country’s government, which plans to introduce a ban on concentrate exports in January 2027, dominated conversations at the recent Zimbabwe Chamber of Mine’s Annual Mining Conference (17–20 June). The Benchmark Lithium Service was represented on the conference stage by lithium analyst Luc Braun who delivered a presentation on Zimbabwe’s domestic hard-rock conversion and downstreaming ambitions. “At the conference, several miners described complex and sometimes tense working relationships with government over the last year, particularly since Zimbabwe’s March export suspension and subsequent May resumption,” Braun said.

Funding before a permit: how quickly can Chilean lithium project Black Giant get online?

Article | Jul 08, 2026 | 3 min read

Funding before a permit: how quickly can Chilean lithium project Black Giant get online?

US direct lithium extraction (DLE) firm EnergyX has closed ~US$1bn of financing for Project Black Giant, a 52,500tpa lithium carbonate development at Salar de Punta Negra, without a Contrato Especial de Operación de Litio (CEOL), the licence required to operate.  Italian energy multinational Eni's $225m for a 25% stake, stacked on a $690m debt letter of intent from the US Export-Import (EXIM) Bank, puts capital, technology, offtake and Washington's sponsorship in place. Yet Punta Negra is a basin the Chilean state has already legally recognised as damaged, raising questions about the pace with which production is likely to begin – particularly given no private contract has yet received full authorisation with a CEOL.

US considering ban on Chinese inverters

Article | Jul 07, 2026 | 3 min read

US considering ban on Chinese inverters

The US is reportedly considering a ban on Chinese-made inverters, citing security risk concerns similar to those outlined by the European Commission in May. Inverters are a key component of solar installations, converting the DC generated by photovoltaics into AC for the grid. As such devices interface directly with critical grid infrastructure, US officials have expressed concerns that connected Chinese hardware could pose a security threat.

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NovAndino's 470,000 tonne Salar Futuro lithium ambition could be limited by regulation

Article | Jul 07, 2026 | 3 min read

NovAndino's 470,000 tonne Salar Futuro lithium ambition could be limited by regulation

Chilean lithium project Salar Futuros’ recent filing reveals an annual capacity ambition of 470,000 tonnes LCE, but it is likely to face regulatory challenges in meeting this target.  NovAndino, the SQM-Codelco joint venture formalised in December 2025, has submitted the environmental impact assessment (EIA) for its Salar Futuro project, a US$3 billion complete overhaul of their current operations in the Salar de Atacama designed to extend production through 2060.

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