Name of the Project
Manono lithium/tin project.

Location
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Project Owner/s
The DRC revoked AVZ Minerals’ permit and reassigned part of the project to Manono Lithium, which is 54.9%-owned by Zijin Mining, with State-owned Cominiere holding 35.1% and the DRC government 10%.

Project Description
Manono is one of the world’s largest hard-rock lithium deposits. The current development is designed to process five-million tonnes of ore a year and produce about one-million tonnes a year of spodumene concentrate.

Potential Job Creation
Not disclosed.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
Not stated.

Capital Expenditure
Not stated.

Planned Start/End Date
The processing plant started production in May 2026, one month ahead of schedule. 

The smelter and other downstream facilities are expected to come on line by December 2026.

Latest Developments
Reuters reported on July 16, 2026, citing five sources familiar with the matter, that Zijin had started exporting lithium concentrate from Manono in the same month. The shipments mark the DRC’s first lithium exports and are being sent to China.

Initial shipments were believed to be trial cargoes, with volumes estimated at a few thousand tonnes. However, one source said the project had already produced tens of thousands of tonnes of concentrate, much of which was likely still in transit.

Concentrate is being transported by truck from Manono to the lakeside city of Kalemie for onward shipment to China through Tanzania. Zijin is targeting production equivalent to 30 000 t of lithium carbonate in 2026.

The deposit remains subject to legal disputes. US-backed KoBold Metals, which holds the adjoining Manono licence, has said it will not proceed with development until the disputes have been resolved.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
Not stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
Zijin Mining, tel +86 592 2933586 oremail: investment@zijinmining.com.