Zimbabwe’s state minerals marketing authority says it has recorded 18 suspected cases of mineral smuggling and irregular movement involving more than 2,600 tonnes of material this year, exposing the scale of an enforcement battle playing out at mines and border posts.

The Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe, or MMCZ, said the cases recorded between January and August 20 involved about 2,654.88 tonnes of minerals and metal scrap, including lithium, chrome and silica.

The largest single case involves about 1,500 tonnes of chrome concentrate placed under embargo at Darwendale while investigations continue.