| Country | Material | Measure | Date | Status in the sources read |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indonesia | Nickel ore | Export ban | 1 January 2020 | In force; a WTO panel ruled against it and Indonesia is reported to be appealing |
| Indonesia | Bauxite | Export ban | June 2023 | Reported still in place in 2026 |
| Zimbabwe | Raw lithium ore | Export ban | 2022 | In force; only concentrates may be exported |
| Zimbabwe | Lithium concentrate | Export ban | January 2027 | Announced in June 2025; no later change found |
| Gabon | Manganese ore | Planned end to raw exports | From 2029 | Announced plan |
| Ghana | Raw ores including manganese and bauxite | Target to end raw ore exports | By 2030 | Announced in February 2026; no law or list of covered minerals published as of October 2026, per reports |
Policies change, and announcements differ from enforcement. This table reflects the sources listed below at the review date. Verify the current position with the government or a local adviser before you sign a contract.
Why governments restrict raw ore exports
The stated aim is to capture more value at home by encouraging smelters, refineries and processing plants, and the jobs and revenue that come with them. Indonesia's nickel ban is the best-known case: reports credit it with attracting investment into nickel processing for stainless steel and battery materials.
Results vary. Analysts have questioned whether the same approach will work for bauxite, because buyers can switch to other suppliers more easily than they can build refineries in the banning country, and Indonesia's earlier ban on unprocessed ore, begun in 2014, was reversed in 2017.
What it means for buyers
Supply from a banning country can disappear or change form, for example from ore to a processed intermediate, with little notice. Buyers should map how much of their feed depends on origins that have announced restrictions, ask suppliers for the current legal status of their exports, and write change-of-law clauses into long contracts.
Manganese buyers that depend on Gabonese or Ghanaian ore, for instance, should treat the 2029 and 2030 dates as a planning issue. The manganese ore guide covers the market detail.
What it means for sellers
A seller of raw ore should confirm that its export is legal today and will remain so for the length of the contract, and hold any licence or permit the origin country requires. Exporting restricted ore without permission can mean seizure and penalties, and a buyer that discovers it after payment has little recourse.
How to track changes
- Read the mining or trade ministry's notices and the official gazette for the origin country, not only press reports.
- Distinguish announcements, drafted regulations and enforced rules. Several of the measures above began as announcements.
- Check whether a ban covers ore, concentrate or both, since the line between the two is often what decides whether a shipment is legal.
- Ask your buyer or seller in writing which licence covers the shipment, and keep a copy with the shipping documents.
Frequently asked questions
Which countries ban raw ore exports?
Indonesia bans nickel ore exports (from January 2020) and bauxite (from June 2023). Zimbabwe bans raw lithium ore exports and has announced a ban on lithium concentrate from January 2027. Gabon and Ghana have announced plans for 2029 and 2030 respectively.
Is Ghana's raw ore export ban in force?
Not as of the October 2026 reports used for this guide: the government has set a target of 2030, but no law or list of covered minerals had been published.
When does Gabon stop exporting raw manganese?
Gabon has said it plans to stop exporting raw manganese from 1 January 2029 and to process the ore locally.
What is the difference between an ore ban and a concentrate ban?
A ban on raw ore leaves concentrates, which have been processed once at the mine, free to export. A concentrate ban goes further, so the only exportable products are more refined, such as a lithium sulphate. Check which stage a given measure covers.
How can a buyer protect itself against an export ban?
Diversify origins, ask suppliers for the current legal status of their exports, include change-of-law clauses in long contracts, and keep documents showing the licence that covers each shipment.
Sources
- Indonesia Business Post: Indonesia to ban other raw mineral exports after nickel ore ban
- ING Think: Indonesia bans bauxite exports from June 2023
- S&P Global: Indonesia's bauxite export ban not expected to replicate nickel policy success
- Mining.com: Zimbabwe to ban export of lithium concentrates from 2027
- Mining Weekly: Zimbabwe to ban export of lithium concentrates from 2027
- Africa Analyst: Gabon plans to stop exporting raw manganese from 2029
- Ghana News Agency: Ghana targets 2030 to end raw mineral ore exports
- Citi Newsroom: Ghana to stop exporting raw bauxite and manganese by 2030
Specifications published by index providers are revised over time. Where a figure comes from a pricing notice, confirm the version currently in force with the publisher before you use it in a contract. Corrections are welcome.