KINSHASA, July 16 – The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has begun exporting lithium concentrate for the first time, marking a major milestone in the country’s critical minerals sector as China’s Zijin Mining starts shipments from the giant Manono lithium project.
According to Reuters, exports commenced in June as planned, with all initial shipments destined for China. The development strengthens China’s already dominant position in the DRC’s mining industry, where Chinese companies have established significant control over cobalt and copper production.
The Manono project is one of the world’s largest undeveloped hard rock lithium deposits and is expected to become an important source of raw materials for electric vehicle batteries and the global energy transition.
Industry sources said the first exports are likely trial shipments following delays during the commissioning of the processing plant. While initial export volumes remain relatively small, traders expect production to ramp up significantly over the coming months.
One trader estimated that only a few thousand metric tonnes have been exported so far, while another said tens of thousands of tonnes of lithium concentrate have already been produced, with much of the material still in transit and expected to arrive in China by October.
The lithium concentrate is being transported by truck from Manono to the lakeside city of Kalemie before being shipped through Tanzania to Chinese buyers.
Zijin announced earlier this month that the Manono processing plant entered production in May, one month ahead of schedule. The company expects downstream facilities, including smelting operations, to become operational before the end of the year, accelerating the project’s expansion.
The company is targeting production of 30,000 metric tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent in 2026. At full capacity, the mine is designed to process five million tonnes of ore annually and produce approximately one million tonnes of spodumene concentrate.
The project also highlights the strategic importance of the DRC in the global battery minerals supply chain. While the country already dominates global cobalt production, the start of lithium exports further expands its role in supplying critical minerals essential for electric vehicles and renewable energy technologies.
Ownership of the Manono project remains heavily weighted toward Chinese interests. The venture is controlled by Zijin Mining with a 54.9% stake, while Congolese state miner Cominiere owns 35.1% and the Congolese government holds the remaining 10%.
The project has also been at the centre of a long-running legal dispute after the Congolese government revoked Australian miner AVZ Minerals’ licence and reassigned part of the concession to Manono Lithium. Meanwhile, U.S.-backed KoBold Metals, which controls an adjacent licence, has maintained that it will not proceed with development until all legal disputes surrounding the project are resolved.
The launch of exports underscores the DRC’s growing importance in the global critical minerals race, while reinforcing China’s influence across Africa’s strategic mining sector as demand for battery materials continues to rise.
