Artisanal miners raise lithium smuggling fears

ARTISANAL and small-scale miners yesterday accused government of sidelining them when it announced a ban on raw lithium exports.

Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners Association (ASSA) leader Blessing Togarepi said the ban may fuel smuggling of the mineral.

“We don’t want a situation whereby in the next five years, people would not see the benefits of lithium, just like the Chiadzwa diamonds, where the country lost several billions of dollars,” he said.

This story is for NewsDay subscribers.