Govt moves to classify coal as ‘special critical mineral
CLOUDINE MATOLA
Government is preparing to designate metallurgical coal as a “special critical mineral”, a move aimed at reviving investment in the country’s underutilised coal reserves, even as global pressure mounts to transition away from fossil fuels.
The latest development was disclosed by the Minister of Mines and Mining Development, Dr Polite Kambamura.
The move comes against a shifting international backdrop. The President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, recently designated metallurgical coal as a critical mineral and approved funding to support the reopening of thermal power facilities in the United States, underscoring a renewed, if contested, role for coal in strategic industries.
Dr Kambamura argue that a similar approach could unlock capital flows into the sector, particularly if paired with cleaner extraction and processing technologies.
He said the government was restructuring its mineral classification framework to distinguish between strategic and critical resources, with metallurgical coal set to receive elevated status.
“Metallurgical coal will be classified as a special critical mineral to attract investment into the coal sector,” Dr Kambamura said.
“This is part of a broader strategy to unlock value from our mineral endowment and support industrial development.”
Zimbabwe holds vast coal reserves, much of them untapped, which Dr Kambamura say could play a pivotal role in addressing persistent power shortages that have constrained industrial output and economic growth. Thermal power generation remains central to the country’s energy mix, despite ongoing efforts to diversify into renewables.
Dr Kambamura said the reclassification would help mobilise foreign capital to develop coal deposits using cleaner technologies, while also supporting downstream industries linked to beneficiation.
“We are endowed with significant coal resources, yet power shortages continue to affect beneficiation and industrialisation,” he said.
“By prioritising coal as a critical mineral, we expect to attract investment that enables both energy generation and the development of by-products.”
The policy shift marks a departure from earlier rhetoric that emphasised the need to scale back coal development in favour of greener alternatives. Instead, authorities now appear to be pursuing a more pragmatic balance,leveraging fossil fuel resources to stabilise the energy sector while gradually incorporating cleaner technologies.
