Zijin Initiates Lithium Exports from Manono Project in DRC
Zijin has commenced lithium concentrate shipments from its Manono project in the Democratic Republic of Congo, marking the country's inaugural lithium exports. This development reinforces China's influence in the critical minerals sector of Congo, where other companies like CMOC and Huayou Cobalt are significant players.
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Zijin has started exporting lithium concentrate, with shipments initiated in June 2026, targeting 30,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate equivalent from the Manono project. The venture, 54.9% owned by Zijin, is designed to annually process 5 million tons of ore and produce approximately 1 million tons of spodumene concentrate.
Initial exports are believed to be trial shipments due to prior technical issues with the processing plant, which began production in May 2026. Legal disputes involving U.S.-backed KoBold Metals and Australian miner AVZ Minerals may affect future development, while current export volumes are limited. The project has produced tens of thousands of tons of concentrate, likely in transit until October.
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