“Honk—” A ship’s whistle blares as trucks loaded with lithium sulfate slowly roll out of the factory. This marks the first batch of lithium salt products delivered from Huayou’s Zimbabwe base. On April 25 (local time), the Zimbabwe Lithium Sulfate Project held a ceremony for its first product shipment. This milestone signals the project’s full transition from construction and commissioning to stable production. Huayou has become the first Chinese enterprise to achieve localized lithium sulfate production in Zimbabwe, a landmark achievement for Huayou’s overseas mining-metallurgy integration strategy.

Since 2022, when Huayou began investing in African lithium resources, it delivered a mineral processing project at a record pace, achieving initial lithium resource development. Now, with the lithium sulfate project commissioned, Huayou has further upgraded its African footprint, showcasing its pragmatic and efficient investment philosophy to the world. Bringing advanced Chinese lithium salt production technology to Africa, the Chinese professional team rapidly completed production line construction, efficiently launched trial operations, and established end-to-end production support mechanisms despite unfamiliar environments and limited infrastructure. This marks a leap from resource development to industrial operation, offering a “Huayou model” for Africa’s lithium industry development.The first shipment solidifies Huayou’s closed-loop industrial chain layout of “global resources, international manufacturing” and sets a benchmark for Chinese investment in Africa. As production lines run, batches of lithium sulfate will roll off the line, ensuring a steady supply for downstream industries. The Zimbabwe base already operates with a high degree of localization, with a rising share of local employees—creating jobs and nurturing a pool of skilled professionals for the region. United Chinese and Zimbabwean teams have overcome countless hurdles in overseas construction and operations, laying a solid foundation for production lines and raising Huayou’s flag high across the African continent.

Against the backdrop of booming global new energy industry and surging demand for lithium—a core strategic resource—the maiden shipment from Huayou’s Zimbabwe lithium salt project carries profound strategic significance. By combining Chinese technology with Zimbabwe’s resource advantages, Huayou will build a more resilient lithium supply chain locally, driving the sustainable development of the global new energy industrial chain.