Lithium - Copperbelt Katanga Mining

Kobold Metals to Invest in AI-Powered Exploration Under New Deal with DRC

July 18, 2025July 18, 2025 Constance

DR Congo Signs Strategic Mining Deal with U.S. based Company Kobold Metals to Boost Lithium Exploration and AI-Driven Geological Mapping On Thursday, at the African Union City in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) President Félix Tshisekedi presided over the signing of a major agreement between the Congolese government and U.S.-based company Kobold Metals. The agreement marks a significant step toward American investment in the country’s mining sector. The document was signed by Congolese Minister of Mines, Kizito Pakabomba, and Benjamin Katabuka, the Managing Director of Kobold Metals in… Read More Here

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AVZ Minerals Resumes Arbitration Against DRC Over Manono Lithium Permit

June 26, 2025June 26, 2025 Constance

AVZ Minerals Limited (AVZ or the Company) has confirmed the resumption of arbitration proceedings before the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). The proceedings were initiated by the Company’s subsidiaries—AVZ International Pty Ltd (AVZI), Green Lithium Holdings Pte Ltd (GLH), and Dathcom Mining SA (Dathcom)—against the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The dispute centers on the DRC’s failure to grant a mining exploitation permit (Permis d’Exploitation or PE) to Dathcom for the area covered under Permit PR 13359 (ICSID Case No. ARB/23/20). As previously announced on 26 May… Read More Here

International Battery Metals Lithium

Zimbabwe to Ban Lithium Concentrate Exports by 2027 to Boost Local Processing

June 15, 2025June 15, 2025 Constance

Zimbabwe will prohibit the export of lithium concentrates starting in 2027, as part of its broader effort to increase local processing of the valuable mineral, Mines Minister Winston Chitando announced on Tuesday. As Africa’s leading producer of lithium—a key component in batteries used for renewable energy technologies—Zimbabwe previously banned the export of raw lithium ore in 2022. Since then, the government has been encouraging miners to add value locally by processing more of the mineral within the country. Most lithium mining operations in Zimbabwe are operated by Chinese companies, which… Read More Here

International Battery Metals Lithium

Nigeria to Commission Lithium Plants in Shift Toward Domestic Value Addition

May 26, 2025May 26, 2025 Constance

Nigeria is poised to launch two major lithium processing plants this year, marking a strategic shift from exporting raw minerals to developing domestic value chains through processing, manufacturing, and job creation. Mining Minister Dele Alake announced that a $600 million lithium processing facility near the Kaduna-Niger border will be commissioned this quarter, while a $200 million refinery on the outskirts of Abuja is nearing completion. He also revealed that two additional lithium plants are expected to be operational in Nasarawa State by the third quarter of 2025. “We are now… Read More Here

Lithium Corporate News Gold International

Kuvimba Mining Seeks $950 Million to Boost Gold and Lithium Production in Zimbabwe

May 25, 2025May 25, 2025 Constance

Kuvimba Mining House, one of Zimbabwe’s leading mining companies, is looking to raise $950 million to expand its gold and lithium production, CEO Trevor Barnard announced at a mining conference in Victoria Falls. “First and foremost, we need funding,” Barnard said. “We require a significant amount of capital to make our businesses work.” He did not reveal the potential investors involved in the fundraising effort or the timeline for securing the financing. Kuvimba owns some of Zimbabwe’s oldest and most prominent gold mines, including Freda Rebecca and Shamva. The company… Read More Here

International Battery Metals Corporate News Lithium New Mining Projects

Rio Tinto Secures Majority Stake in Chile’s Altoandinos Lithium Project

May 25, 2025May 25, 2025 Constance

SANTIAGO – Chile’s state-owned National Mining Company (ENAMI) has selected global mining giant Rio Tinto to take a 51% stake in the Altoandinos lithium project, marking the company’s second major lithium venture in Chile. Rio Tinto will initially invest $425 million to fund pre-feasibility studies, including the deployment of its pilot plant at the Rincon project in Argentina and the use of its proprietary direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology. The partnership was announced on Thursday, following a competitive bidding process in which Rio outpaced contenders such as France’s Eramet, China’s… Read More Here

International Battery Metals Corporate News Lithium

Atlantic Lithium Uncovers High Grade Lithium Pegmatites in Ivory Coast

May 25, 2025May 25, 2025 Constance

Atlantic Lithium, an Australian mining company, announced on Thursday, May 22, 2025, the discovery of spodumene-rich pegmatites—lithium-bearing rocks—on its exploration permits in Côte d’Ivoire. The findings, based on rock samples collected from the Agboville and Rubino permits, revealed high lithium grades of up to 1.25%. These results stem from the first two phases of a sampling program initiated in 2024, following the granting of exploration licenses to the company’s local subsidiary, Khaleesi Resources SARL. At the Rubino permit, geological anomalies indicating lithium mineralization span an area of approximately 2.5 km… Read More Here

Mining in DRC Battery Metals Lithium

Manono’s Lithium Dream Stalled Amid Rising Local Frustration

May 25, 2025May 25, 2025 Constance

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is home to one of the world’s largest lithium deposits, a resource that is increasingly vital for the global shift to renewable energy. In the town of Manono, located in the Tanganyika province in the southeast of the country, an estimated 6.6 million tonnes of lithium lie beneath the soil. This mineral is essential for the production of rechargeable batteries used in electric vehicles and electronic devices. Despite the promise of economic transformation and international interest—including from the United States—progress on the Manono lithium… Read More Here

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Zimbabwe Lithium Miners Urge Delay of Export Tax Until Refining Plants Are Operational

May 23, 2025May 23, 2025 Constance

Lithium producers in Zimbabwe are calling on the government to postpone a proposed 5% export tax on lithium concentrate until domestic refining facilities are fully operational. The Zimbabwe Lithium Exporters (ZLE), an industry body that includes major players like Chengxin Lithium Group, has formally requested the deferral from the Ministries of Mines and Finance. The group is asking for a two-and-a-half-year grace period, allowing time for the construction and commissioning of plants that will produce higher-value lithium sulfate, expected to be completed by 2027. Zimbabwe has rapidly become a key… Read More Here

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KoBold Seeks Lithium Stake in DRC’s Manono Amid Legal Dispute and Geopolitical Shifts

May 9, 2025May 9, 2025 Constance

KoBold Metals, a U.S.-based mining company backed by prominent investors including Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos, is intensifying efforts to secure rights to the Manono lithium deposit in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)—a site widely regarded as a potential world-class lithium mine. A January 2024 estimate suggests Manono holds 669 million tonnes of resources with an average grade of 1.61% lithium. On May 6, 2025, KoBold and Australia’s AVZ Minerals issued a joint statement titled Developing Manono for Peace and Prosperity, signed by their CEOs, Kurt House and Nigel… Read More Here