Gabon partners with Chinese group on $207m manganese processing project
The partnership will see the development of a manganese processing facility at M'Bembélé, with annual production capacity expected to exceed one million tonnes by 2030
Gabon has secured an investment partnership with Chinese company South Manganese Investment Limited for the development of a local manganese processing project valued at CFA116.7 billion (approximately US$207 million).
The project will focus on processing manganese from the M’Bembélé deposit in the Ndjolé region, as the country steps up efforts to retain more value from its mineral resources.
The Gabonese Press Agency reports that the memorandum of understanding was signed by Emmanuel Eyeghe Nze, Minister of Trade, Industry and Processing and government spokesperson, and Zhang He, Chairman of the Board of Directors of South Manganese Investment Limited.
During the initial phase, the facility is expected to process 180,000 tonnes of manganese annually. Production capacity is projected to increase to 1.08 million tonnes a year from 2030.
The development will also cover ore beneficiation, alongside the energy supply and logistical infrastructure required to support the processing operations.
The investment forms part of the government’s drive to expand domestic mineral processing and strengthen the country’s industrial capacity. Led by President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, the policy seeks to establish Gabon as a regional centre for manganese processing by 2029.
Through this partnership, Gabon is looking to increase the value generated from its manganese resources rather than relying primarily on the export of unprocessed ore.
