Of ficial trade statistics show the importance of mining to the Zimbabwean economy, with the country running at a deficit of around U$2 billion in 2022.In that year the total value of exports was $6.6bn, and imports $8.6bn. South Africa remains the biggest trading partner at 42% of exports and 43% of imports, but the share is dropping. Second is the United Arab Emirates, with which Zimbabwe has the biggest positive trade balance.In 2022 it exported precious metals valued at $2bn, followed by tobacco products at $50bn to the UAE. Increased demand from the electric vehicle sector is ref lected in the rise of nickel exports from $360 million in 2018 to over $1bn in 2022. Copper ore and concentrate exports continue to rise and reached $1 million in 2022.Chrome ore and concentrates exports dropped from $87m in 2018 to $44m in 2022 as a result of the government insisting on local beneficiation. A breakdown of imports under HS code 84 shows the growth of the mining industry. Zimbabwe imported $166m worth of machinery for sorting, screening, separating and washing (HS code 8474), and $161m on self-propelled bulldozers, graders, scrapers (8429). The next biggest was $67m on mechanical appliances for spraying equipment (8424).
