Zimbabwe’s lithium producers ask the government to extend the January 2027 deadline tied to a ban on exporting lithium concentrate. Companies, through the Lithium Association of Zimbabwe (LAZ), say they are still completing the processing or beneficiation plants required under the country’s beneficiation policy. At the Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe Annual Conference, LAZ chairman and representatives argue that many firms have not yet finished building and commissioning the facilities needed to meet the terms of the export restrictions. The producers therefore request additional time to ensure their operations can comply with the beneficiation requirements before any export ban takes effect. The request centers on the gap between the current timeline and the status of plant completion across the sector. Zimbabwe Independent and New Zimbabwe both report the same appeal: that most producers are still in the process of finishing processing plants and seek more time from the government to avoid disruption and enable compliance with the beneficiation drive.