China’s Zijin Mining plans to begin lithium production in June at the contested Manono deposit in the Democratic Republic of Congo, positioning the project as the country’s first lithium output. The development was reported by Reuters.
The Manono site ranks among the world’s largest undeveloped hard-rock lithium deposits. Its launch would mark a strategic milestone for Beijing as it deepens its access to critical minerals in Africa.
Zijin had earlier pointed to a first-quarter 2026 start. However, the company told Reuters that updated planning now sets June as the target for first production. Exports will begin immediately after output starts, according to officials from state miner Cominiere.
Arbitration clouds one of the world’s biggest lithium projects
The project sits at the center of an ongoing dispute. Congo revoked the mining permit previously held by Australian miner AVZ and reassigned part of the deposit to Manono Lithium, a joint venture between Zijin and Cominiere.
Zijin controls 61% of the venture. Cominiere and the Congolese state hold the remaining stake.
Cominiere Managing Director Alpha Monga Mwidia said on the sidelines of the Mining Indaba conference in Cape Town that the first tons would be produced in June, with exports to follow immediately. He did not provide production or export targets, and Zijin also declined to disclose first-year volumes.
AVZ declined to comment. A source close to the company told Reuters that blasting had taken place this week near an area where AVZ still maintains staff, raising safety and procedural concerns.
Despite the arbitration, Zijin and Cominiere said the dispute will not affect the production schedule. They added that operations comply with existing law.
The timing is notable. Lithium prices have fallen sharply, dropping about 86% from late-2022 highs as China built inventories and boosted domestic output. Even so, demand tied to electric vehicles and energy storage keeps Manono strategically important.
The United States has sought to redirect Congolese mineral supply toward Western markets through short-term contracting. That effort challenges China’s long-standing dominance in African mining supply chains.
Under the joint venture agreement, Zijin will market all first-phase output, including Cominiere’s share. Mwidia said Cominiere did not contribute to the roughly $1 billion in project financing but will receive revenue in line with its ownership stake.
Meanwhile, U.S.-backed KoBold Metals, which holds rights on the opposite side of the Manono deposit, told Reuters it will delay construction until ownership questions are resolved.
Cominiere is supplying 44 megawatts of power to the project through its unit Katamba Mining. The company plans to expand capacity to 120 megawatts to support mining operations and surrounding communities.
As Congo moves closer to first lithium exports, the Manono project highlights how commercial ambition, geopolitical competition and legal disputes increasingly intersect in the global race for critical minerals.
