Socio-legal reflections on Zimbabwe’s Lithium Industry: the role of public participation in Resource Governance and Environmental Justice

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dc.contributor.authorMutlokwa, Hoitsimolimo
dc.contributor.authorOkoloise, Chairman
dc.date.accessioned2025-06-26T11:03:31Z
dc.date.available2025-06-26T11:03:31Z
dc.date.issued2025
dc.description.abstractZimbabwe has one of the largest lithium deposits in Africa. As the world strives to decarbonise and to relinquish energy sources that produce harmful emissions, the demand for lithium is rising to astronomical levels. Zimbabwe's lithium is a prime target for the producers of lithium-ion batteries used in electric cars, smartphones, laptops, and solar panels for domestic use. However, Zimbabwe's law and mining policy need to include measures to ensure that citizens properly participate in and profit from its extractive activities, including the mining of lithium. Outdated mining legislation and past experience show that the exploitation of a resource can be a curse in Zimbabwe, as in the smuggling of diamonds and the sequestration of the wealth generated by gold mining to only a few individuals. Public participation in decision-making in the lithium industry is a scarce commodity, and it is generally expected that a repeat of the catastrophic circumstances of Zimbabwean gold and diamond mining is likely to be seen in the lithium industry. This article examines the social implications of the lack of effective regulation of Zimbabwe's lithium industry. It assesses Zimbabwe's current decision to ban raw lithium exports and answers the question whether this has positive social implications for communities that live near lithium deposits.ER -
dc.description.versionPublishers' version
dc.identifier.citationMutlokwa, H., & Okoloise, C. . (2025). Socio-legal reflections on Zimbabwe’s Lithium Industry: the role of public participation in Resource Governance and Environmental Justice. Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal, 28(2025):1-42. https://doi.org/10.17159/1727-3781/2025/v28i0a18234
dc.identifier.issn1727-3781 (online)
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.17159/1727-3781/2025/v28i0a18234
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11660/13102
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherAcademy of Science of South Africa
dc.rights.holderAuthor(s)
dc.rights.licensehttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.subjectAccesst to information
dc.subjectPublic participation
dc.subjectHealthy environment
dc.subjectUnfair labour practices
dc.subjectTransparency
dc.subjectLithium trade
dc.titleSocio-legal reflections on Zimbabwe’s Lithium Industry: the role of public participation in Resource Governance and Environmental Justice
dc.typeArticle
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