Angola ramps up mining projects to unlock its industry potential

Source: © First Mining DRC-Zambia First Mining DRC-Zambia The Longonjo Mining Project in Angola, one of the projects the government is promoting investment into

The government is promoting investment across the critical mineral value chain as a strategy to advance economic diversification while unlocking greater revenue generation from the mining industry.

Angola has set a target to become a key exporter of value-added critical minerals in the next 10 to 15 years.

Mining developments

Across the country, various mining developments are taking off.

• In January 2025, UK-based Pensana secured funding from South Africa’s Absa Bank to accelerate the development of the Longonjo Rare Earth Project.

  The $325m project is expected to supply 5% of the world’s high-grade rare earth carbonate, generate $6bn in export revenue and contribute $1bn in tax revenue to regional treasuries, helping Angola diversify its revenue generation.

• Mavoio-Tetelo copper project

  Meanwhile, Chinese mining firm Shining Star is set to commence production this year at the 40-million-ton Mavoio-Tetelo copper project in northern Angola. The project is expected to produce 300,000 tons of copper per annum, significantly boosting Angola’s mining revenue.

• Lithium projects

  Australian firm Tyranna Resources - in partnership with China’s Sinomine - is advancing multiple lithium projects in Angola, with ongoing drilling activities identifying additional reserves and expediting mine development. These projects include the Namibe and Muvero lithium mines.

• Copper

  Canada’s Ivanhoe Mines has also initiated a series of copper exploration projects in Angola’s Moxico and Cuando Cubango provinces, contributing to efforts to diversify the nation’s mining sector and revenue streams.

• Manganese
  To increase value addition across the manganese sector, Angola is developing a $250m manganese-to-silica processing facility in partnership with Chinese firm ST New Materials. The project is expected to be operational in 2025.

The country is also spearheading projects to produce steel from iron mined in the Kasinga region.

As the country pursues this goal, the upcoming African Mining Week (AMW) - Africa’s premier mining event - will spotlight Angola’s growing potential as a critical global minerals exporter.

AMW is held alongside the African Energy Week: Invest in African Energy 2025 conference from October 1 -3 in Cape Town.