As China scrambles for Zimbabwe’s lithium, small miners are left behind

Small-scale miners are finding ways to navigate decreased demand and lower prices of the raw material they supply.

Shamva, Zimbabwe – On a winter’s morning in Shamva, in Zimbabwe’s Mashonaland Central province, Brenda, a single mother of three, is on the hunt for lithium ore.

The 39-year-old, who asked that only her first name be used, uses a pick to break up hard rocks before shovelling the rock ores into a wheelbarrow which is then pushed by one of her workers and emptied onto a heap.

“Mining is labour intensive, but I soldier on,” said the tall, broad-shouldered woman wearing a blue workers uniform with green reflectors and a yellow safety helmet.

Around her, dozens of other artisanal miners work tirelessly to extract ore in the lithium surface mining area located about 90km (56 miles) northeast of the capital Harare.

“I have no limits. I take every situation as it is,” Brenda told Al Jazeera. “I remember I was the only girl in a chemistry class back in school. I learned to be brave, courageous and independent.”