Key Minerals in Africa: Zijin Takes Over Congo’s First Lithium Mine, Manono Begins Expansion

¬ Zijin Mining has started commissioning the $1 billion Manono project, which is poised to become the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) first lithium mine.

¬ The mine is designed to process 5 million tons of ore annually, producing 1 million tons of spodumene concentrate, which will then be refined into lithium sulfate.

¬ Despite ongoing ownership disputes between former operator AVZ Minerals and state-owned Cominière, the project continues to advance.

After taking over the Manono project nearly three years ago, China’s Zijin Mining has begun commissioning a project expected to become the DRC’s first lithium mine.

The company announced on Wednesday, July 15, that it has initiated construction of the beneficiation plant, marking a key milestone in the development of this approximately $1 billion investment.

Despite long-standing legal disputes between AVZ Minerals and state-owned Cominière over mining rights, the project has steadily progressed since 2024.

The Manono mine is designed to process up to 5 million tons of ore per year.

It is expected to produce around 1 million tons of spodumene concentrate annually, which can then be further processed into 100,800 tons of lithium sulfate—a high-value intermediate product used in manufacturing battery materials, including lithium carbonate.

Phased Development Strategy

Zijin Mining has established a phased development plan for the project.

The first phase includes commissioning a dense medium separation (DMS) unit, which removes low-grade rock and concentrates spodumene—the primary lithium-bearing mineral mined at the Manono site.

The company stated that this phase was completed in May.

The resulting material will then move to crushing and flotation facilities, where Zijin Mining will further concentrate the spodumene into a saleable product.

According to the company’s project schedule, this phase is set to begin by the end of September, followed by commissioning of the lithium sulfate facility before year-end.

A New African Lithium Producer

Zijin Mining now must advance capacity expansion as planned.

Successful commissioning will pave the way for gradual output increases. Prior to Zijin’s acquisition of stake in the project in 2023, it had remained stalled due to disputes between Cominière and former license holder AVZ Minerals.

The legal dispute remains unresolved to date.

The area currently under development by Zijin Mining covers only part of the Manono lithium deposit; KoBold Metals, a U.S.-based company, also holds partial interests in the deposit.

For the DRC, progress at the Manono lithium project brings the country closer to joining the ranks of African lithium-producing nations.

Zimbabwe currently leads Africa’s lithium industry, while Mali has recently brought two lithium mines into production.

The project’s development coincides with a rebound in the lithium market. After a sharp decline in lithium prices from 2023 due to global oversupply, prices have shown signs of recovery since the second half of 2025.

Lithium exports from the Manono mine have not yet been officially announced.

However, according to sources cited by Reuters on Thursday, July 16, initial trial shipments of lithium were observed departing from the mine site in June.

If confirmed, these trial shipments would further indicate that the project is advancing toward commercial production and generating its first revenues.

The Manono mine is controlled by Zijin Mining with a 54.9% stake, Cominière holds 35.1%, and the government of the DRC owns 10%.

The government also expects to benefit from taxes and royalty payments from the lithium mine. Following recent reforms that designate lithium as a strategic mineral, the tax and royalty rate could rise from the previous 3.5% to 10% of mine revenue.

In the long term, the project is expected to support local economic development by creating over 1,500 direct jobs and more than 8,000 indirect jobs.

Source: ecofinagency

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1871030745405448/

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