China's Zijin Mining Group has started exporting lithium concentrate from its Manono project in the Democratic Republic of Congo, five sources familiar with the matter told Reuters, marking the country's first commercial lithium exports and extending China's already dominant position in the DRC's critical minerals sector into a third major metal.
Exports began in June 2026, according to a source with direct knowledge of the matter. Initial shipments are likely trial volumes following technical issues that delayed commissioning of the processing plant; one trader estimated volumes at a few thousand metric tonnes, while a second said tens of thousands of tonnes of concentrate have been produced with much of it still in transit to China, potentially not arriving until October. A source who visited the site in June described trucks hauling concentrate from Manono to the lakeside city of Kalemie for onward shipment through Tanzania.
Zijin targets 30,000 metric tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent from Manono in 2026. The project is designed to process five million tonnes of ore annually, producing approximately one million tonnes of spodumene concentrate. Manono's processing plant started production in May 2026, one month ahead of schedule, with smelter and other downstream facilities targeted for commissioning by December.
The Manono venture is 54.9% owned by Zijin, with state miner Cominière holding 35.1% and the Congolese government 10%. The project sits at the centre of a legal dispute following the DRC government's revocation of Australian miner AVZ Minerals' permit and reassignment of part of the project to Manono Lithium. US-backed KoBold Metals, which holds the adjoining Manono licence, has stated it will not proceed with development until all legal disputes over the project are resolved. Zijin and the DRC mines ministry did not respond to requests for comment from Reuters.
