BUHERA —Sabi Star Mine, operated by Chinese-owned Maxi Mind, is at the centre of environmental havoc in Mukwasi Village, Buhera.
The lithium boom, while fuelling Zimbabwe’s economic ambitions, has made life unbearable for villagers by choking the air, blighting crops, and putting lives at risk.
Ore-hauling trucks rumble past homes, schools, and grazing fields, leaving dust clouds that settle on crops, food, and water.
Zimbabwe’s lithium industry has surged in recent years, becoming the country’s third-largest mineral export after gold and platinum group metals.
Lithium exports broughtin US$674 millionin 2023 alone, a huge jump from US$70.6 million in 2022, largely due to over US$1.2 billion in Chinese investment since 2021.
The boom has been hyped with promises of jobs, processing plants, and foreign direct investment.
However, it has also come at a high cost, including environmental degradation, deepening inequality, and displacements.
In Mukwasi Village, ore-hauling trucks pass daily, leaving dust clouds that settle on crops, homes, and water sources.
Local villager Plaxedes Zinatsa said: “We are happy about the development of mining in our area.”
“It’s not like we had equipment to mine it ourselves. But our biggest problem now is dust.
“We are now at a point where everyone has to get his or her snot tested for TB (tuberculosis),” said Zinatsa.
Dust coats every surface in her newly built home, just 30 metres from the mine road.
Source: NewsHub Zimbabwe
Source: NewsHub Zimbabwe
