Manono, DR Congo — Zijin Mining is preparing to ship the first lithium concentrates from its Manono project in southeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, moving China a step closer to locking in another African source of battery-grade material, according to local transport officials.
The Chinese firm recently loaded bulk samples onto trucks bound for the Zambian border, an initial move that precedes full — scale production expected later this quarter, the officials.
The open — pit site—one of the world’s largest hard-rock lithium deposits—has been at the center of overlapping mining permits between Zijin and privately held AVZ Minerals, a dispute that remains before Congolese courts.
Government statements indicate that Kinshasa last year affirmed Zijin’s exploration licences covering the northern half of the Manono plateau, while AVZ continues to challenge the decision. Independent observers say the legal limbo has not blocked Zijin from building access roads and upgrading a deteriorated colonial-era haul route to the border.
Regional mining authorities confirmed that the first cargoes will travel roughly 700 km by road to Ndola before continuing by rail to the Tanzanian port of Dar es Salaam.
They added that lithium — bearing spodumene will be exported for processing in China, where Zijin operates refineries that supply top battery makers.
The shipments coincide with Beijing’s broader push to secure cobalt, copper and lithium across the central African copperbelt. Chinese companies already control the majority of Congo’s cobalt output and have expanded into Zambian copper assets over the past two years.
What happens next Zijin is expected to announce a commercial production timeline once trial exports clear Zambian customs.
Court filings show no hearing date has been set for AVZ’s ownership claim, meaning the licence dispute remains unresolved. Further details are expected.
Source: Africa.
