Zimbabwe has added a rail freight option for lithium exports from the Gwanda Lithium Mine to the port of Maputo.
According to Reuters, the first 1,000 tonnes of lithium concentrate moved through a collaboration involving the National Railways of Zimbabwe, Beitbridge Bulawayo Railway and logistics company Silvergill.
The route uses the BBR track between Gwanda and Beitbridge before connecting through National Railways of Zimbabwe infrastructure toward the Chicualacuala border and Mozambique.
The rail option is intended to reduce dependence on road transport, which is generally more expensive and vulnerable to logistics bottlenecks.
The development is relevant to the wider Matabeleland economy because rail and logistics capacity affect mining, employment, trade and regional infrastructure.