Mali Exports Surge 235% in 2025 Driven by Lithium Sales to China

Mali’s export economy shifted dramatically in 2025 as shipments to China surged by 235 percent, driven largely by the launch of lithium spodumene sales from the Goulamina mine in the country’s south, according to trade data published by APAnews.

The acceleration of trade marks a major structural pivot for Bamako. For years, traditional agricultural commodities like sesame, cotton, anacarde, shea butter, and leather anchored Malian exports to Asian markets. While sesame retains significant volume, lithium now dominates in total export value.

Lithium Spodumene Drives 2025 Export Surge

Data released by the Agency for the Promotion of Exports in Mali (APEX-Mali) shows that total Malian sales to China reached 284.27 billion CFA francs for roughly 339,000 tonnes of spodumene concentrate shipped during 2025. Yacouba Yassa Diarra, deputy general manager of APEX-Mali, detailed the figures in an October 9 interview, confirming that spodumene—a critical mineral used in electric vehicle battery manufacturing—accounted for the vast majority of the revenue growth.

Production at the Goulamina site commenced in late 2024. The southern Malian mine is operated through a subsidiary of Chinese mining giant Ganfeng Lithium. The rapid scaling of extraction turned China into one of the primary destinations for Malian mineral resources almost overnight.

Official estimates regarding the exact scale of the export boom vary slightly by institution. In March, the Chinese Embassy in Bamako put the year-on-year growth rate of Malian exports at 170 percent. APEX-Mali later reported a 235 percent increase. Analysts attribute the variance to differing statistical scopes or specific comparison periods utilized by diplomatic versus trade promotion agencies.

Metric	APEX-Mali Figure	Chinese Embassy Estimate
Export Growth (2025)	235% increase	170% increase
Lithium Volume	~338,773 tonnes	Not specified
Lithium Value	284.272 billion CFA francs	Not specified

Tariff Exemptions and Trade Preferences

The trade expansion coincides with favorable tariff policies enacted by Beijing. Since December 1, 2024, Malian products entering the Chinese market have enjoyed a complete exemption from customs duties.

This preference covers all product categories originating from Mali. However, maintaining access to the duty-free framework requires strict adherence to rules of origin, sanitary regulations, traceability protocols, and quality standards. APEX-Mali handles the issuance of the necessary certificates of origin for local exporters to meet these requirements.

Value Addition Debates Follow Mineral Wealth

The 2025 figures underscore the speed at which raw mineral extraction can alter national trade balances. At the same time, the reliance on spodumene shipped primarily as a raw or semi-processed concentrate has reignited domestic discussions inside Mali.

Economists and policymakers continue to debate the long-term balance between boosting immediate export revenues and developing domestic processing capabilities to retain a larger share of the economic value within the country.