Published: 11 mins ago

The Harare Institute of Technology (HIT) is set to establish a lithium processing plant as part of efforts to position Zimbabwe as a key player in the global battery value chain.

The announcement was made on Friday by HIT vice-chancellor Dr Engineer Quinton Kanhukamwe during the launch of Dr Washington Mbizvo's book on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).

Dr Kanhukamwe said the plant would drive value addition and industrialisation, while supporting Zimbabwe's beneficiation agenda and participation in the fast-growing green energy economy.

"This initiative will unlock vast opportunities for value addition and industrialisation," he said. "Lithium is the oil of the future, and Zimbabwe must be at the centre of that future. This plant at HIT is a step towards making our nation a global hub for energy storage technologies."

The vice-chancellor added that the investment would cement Zimbabwe's role as an emerging economic powerhouse in battery development, at a time when global demand for lithium is soaring due to the shift toward electric vehicles and renewable energy solutions.

Meanwhile, Dr Kanhukamwe paid tribute to Dr Mbizvo, describing him as a "trailblazer" whose new book would serve as both a scholarly reference and a practical policy guide.

"This book is not merely an academic contribution, but a policy and institutional blueprint aligned with Zimbabwe's national development vision," he said, praising its potential to influence skills development and training strategies nationwide.

The project places HIT at the centre of Zimbabwe's ambitions to move up the mineral value chain and capture greater benefits from its vast lithium reserves, which are among the largest in Africa.
- The Herald

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