Zijin has started exporting lithium concentrate from its Manono project in the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to Reuters.
“Exports started in June as planned,” an unnamed source with direct knowledge was quoted as saying.
“They are shipping everything to China.”
The shipments mark Congo's first lithium exports, extending China's dominance of the country's critical minerals sector.
The Manono deposit, one of the world's largest undeveloped hard-rock lithium resources, remains at the centre of a dispute after Congo revoked Australian miner AVZ Minerals' permit and reassigned part of the project to Manono Lithium.
The venture is 54.9%-owned by Zijin, with state miner Cominiere holding 35.1% and the Congolese government 10%. US-backed KoBold Metals, which holds the adjoining Manono licence, has said it will not proceed with development until all legal disputes are resolved.
A mining executive said initial exports were likely trial shipments after technical issues delayed plant commissioning.
One trader estimated volumes at just a few thousand metric tons, while a second trader said the project has already produced tens of thousands of tons of concentrate, much of which may still be in transit and not reach China until October.
Trucks have been hauling concentrate from Manono to Kalemie for onward shipment to China through Tanzania.
The company said in a July 9 notice that the processing plant started production in May 2026, a month ahead of schedule, with smelter and other downstream facilities set to come online by December.
Zijin targets 30,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate equivalent from Manono in 2026. The project is designed to process 5 million tons of ore annually and produce about 1 million tons of spodumene concentrate.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor-In-Chief, Rough & Polished
