Africa holds the world’s largest reserves of cobalt, significant shares of global copper, manganese, and platinum group metals (PGMs), and emerging lithium and graphite deposits that position the continent as indispensable to the global critical minerals supply chain. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) alone produces approximately 70% of global cobalt, making it the single most important country for EV battery supply chains after China. Critical minerals Africa supply is expanding, but a substantial share of value — particularly in cobalt and copper processing — flows to Chinese-owned or Chinese-financed facilities, both within Africa and through exports to China for refining.
Critical Minerals Overview — Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa is the primary source of cobalt globally, with the DRC’s Katanga Copperbelt hosting the world’s highest-grade cobalt deposits, typically extracted as a by-product of copper mining. South Africa produces approximately 70% of global platinum, 40% of palladium, and significant quantities of rhodium, iridium, and ruthenium — PGMs that are critical for hydrogen fuel cells, automotive catalysts, and electronics. Zambia is the continent’s second-largest copper producer. Zimbabwe holds significant lithium pegmatite resources, with Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt (SH: 603799) operating the Arcadia lithium project. Guinea controls over 25% of global bauxite reserves, an aluminium precursor. Tanzania and Mozambique have graphite deposits, with several projects in development.
Chinese investment dominates the African critical minerals sector. CMOC’s Tenke Fungurume and Kisanfu copper-cobalt mines in the DRC are among the largest cobalt producers globally. Zijin Mining, MMG, and numerous smaller Chinese firms hold significant copper assets in the DRC and Zambia. Western governments and companies — including Glencore (LSE: GLEN), Ivanhoe Mines (TSX: IVN), and Anglo American (LSE: AAL) — remain major operators but have ceded ground in new project development to Chinese counterparts over the past decade.
Key Minerals by Country — Africa
| Country | Key Minerals | Notable Projects | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| DRC | Cobalt, Copper | Tenke Fungurume (CMOC), Kamoa-Kakula (Ivanhoe/Zijin), Kisanfu (CMOC) | Production |
| South Africa | PGMs, Chrome, Manganese, Vanadium | Bushveld Complex (Anglo, Implats, Sibanye) | Production |
| Zambia | Copper, Cobalt | Kansanshi (First Quantum), Copperbelt expansion | Production / Development |
| Zimbabwe | Lithium, PGMs, Chrome | Arcadia Li (Huayou), Great Dyke Investments | Production / Development |
| Guinea | Bauxite, Iron Ore | Simandou iron ore, CBG bauxite | Production / Development |
| Tanzania / Mozambique | Graphite, REE | Magnis Resources Nachu, Syrah Resources Balama | Production / Development |
| Namibia | Uranium, REE, Lithium | Rössing Uranium, Green Hydrogen Namibia | Production / Development |
Major Companies & Projects — Africa
Glencore (LSE: GLEN) is the largest Western cobalt producer through its Mutanda and Katanga operations in the DRC. Ivanhoe Mines (TSX: IVN), co-owned with Zijin Mining, operates Kamoa-Kakula — the world’s highest-grade large copper deposit — targeting 600,000+ tonnes of copper per annum at full expansion. Anglo American (LSE: AAL) dominates PGM production through its Mogalakwena and Amandelbult mines in South Africa’s Bushveld Complex. Sibanye-Stillwater (JSE/NYSE: SSW) is a major PGM and gold producer. First Quantum Minerals (TSX: FM) operates Kansanshi in Zambia, one of Africa’s largest copper mines. Syrah Resources (ASX: SYR) operates the Balama graphite mine in Mozambique, one of the world’s largest graphite producers.
Policy, Regulation & Investment Climate
African governments have increasingly sought to capture more value from critical mineral extraction through local processing requirements, royalty increases, and state participation mandates. The DRC introduced a 10% cobalt royalty rate (raised from 3.5%) in 2018 and has pushed for greater local refining capacity. Zimbabwe banned raw lithium ore exports in 2022 to drive domestic processing investment. Tanzania’s 2017 Mining Act established minimum state participation requirements. These measures have created friction with some foreign investors but align with broader African Union frameworks for value addition and beneficiation.
Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) remains a significant and contentious element of the DRC cobalt supply chain. ASM accounts for an estimated 15–25% of DRC cobalt production, predominantly from high-grade heterogenite deposits in the southern Katanga region. Child labour and unsafe working conditions in the ASM sector have attracted significant attention from battery manufacturers and investors, driving supply chain due diligence requirements under the EU Battery Regulation and US Dodd-Frank Act.
Africa in the Global Critical Minerals Supply Chain
Africa’s critical minerals are central to Western supply chain diversification aspirations, but significant obstacles remain. Infrastructure deficits — power, roads, rail, and port capacity — add cost and complexity to project development. Political instability in the DRC, Mali, and other resource-rich nations creates sovereign risk. Chinese financing and off-take arrangements have provided capital that Western development finance institutions have been slower to deploy at comparable scale. The US, EU, and G7 have each launched Africa-focused critical minerals initiatives — including the US Lobito Corridor infrastructure programme and EU Global Gateway — but project execution timelines remain long.
Latest Critical Minerals News — Africa
This section features the latest critical minerals news from Africa. Browse all Africa coverage below.
| Indicator | Data Point | Source |
|---|---|---|
| DRC share of global cobalt production | ~70% | USGS, 2024 (estimated) |
| South Africa share of global platinum production | ~70% | USGS, 2024 (estimated) |
| Kamoa-Kakula copper production target (full build) | 600,000+ t/yr | Ivanhoe Mines (target) |
| DRC cobalt royalty rate | 10% | DRC Mining Code, 2018 |
Data is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Figures are subject to revision.
What critical minerals does Africa produce?
Africa produces approximately 70% of global cobalt (predominantly DRC), 70% of global platinum and 40% of palladium (South Africa’s Bushveld Complex), significant copper from the DRC-Zambia Copperbelt, manganese from South Africa and Gabon, graphite from Mozambique and Tanzania, and emerging lithium from Zimbabwe and Namibia. Guinea holds over 25% of global bauxite reserves. The continent’s critical minerals endowment is among the largest globally, spanning battery materials, PGMs, and defence-relevant metals.
Why is the DRC so important to the cobalt supply chain?
The DRC hosts approximately 50% of global cobalt reserves and produces around 70% of annual global cobalt output, primarily as a by-product of copper mining in the Katanga Copperbelt. The geological concentration of high-grade cobalt-copper deposits in this region has no equivalent elsewhere. This makes the DRC structurally indispensable to the EV battery supply chain, as cobalt is a key component of NMC cathode chemistries used by most major battery manufacturers. Supply disruptions in the DRC — whether from political instability, export restrictions, or flooding of underground workings — have historically caused significant cobalt price spikes.
Which companies are leading critical mineral production in Africa?
Key producers include Glencore (cobalt and copper, DRC), Ivanhoe Mines and Zijin Mining (copper, Kamoa-Kakula, DRC), Anglo American and Sibanye-Stillwater (PGMs, South Africa), First Quantum Minerals (copper, Zambia), CMOC/China Molybdenum (cobalt and copper, DRC), and Syrah Resources (graphite, Mozambique). Chinese companies — including CMOC, Zijin, and Huayou Cobalt — have expanded their African footprint significantly over the past decade.
What are the main risks for critical mineral investment in Africa?
The primary investment risks include political instability and governance uncertainty (particularly in the DRC and West Africa), infrastructure deficits that increase project costs, currency and repatriation risks, community relations and social licence challenges, and supply chain due diligence requirements related to artisanal mining in the cobalt sector. Royalty and taxation changes — such as the DRC’s 2018 Mining Code increases — also create retrospective risk for operating projects. The EU Battery Regulation and US supply chain due diligence requirements are increasing compliance costs for cobalt sourced from ASM supply chains.
How is Western investment competing with Chinese investment in African critical minerals?
Chinese state-linked companies have moved faster and with larger capital commitments in African critical minerals than Western counterparts over the past decade, securing controlling positions in cobalt and copper production in the DRC and Zambia. Western governments are responding through development finance initiatives — including the US DFC, UK BII, and EU Global Gateway — but deployment has been slower. Infrastructure programmes such as the US Lobito Corridor (rail from DRC/Zambia to Angola’s Atlantic coast) aim to improve the economics of Western-aligned projects. Western mining majors including Glencore and Ivanhoe remain significant operators but have increasingly partnered with or sold assets to Chinese counterparts.
What is the outlook for African critical minerals in 2026?
Cobalt supply from the DRC is expected to remain broadly stable in 2026, with some growth from expansion projects. Copper output from Kamoa-Kakula in the DRC is on a multi-year expansion trajectory. PGM production in South Africa faces ongoing cost and labour pressures. Lithium projects in Zimbabwe and Namibia are advancing through development. The EU and US are expected to deepen engagement with African governments on critical minerals partnerships, though meaningful supply diversification away from Chinese processing will take years to achieve. Analysts at Argus Media project African cobalt supply growth to moderate in 2026 as some higher-cost operations face margin pressure at current prices.
