Roughly 90% of global manganese consumption goes into steelmaking, according to the US Geological Survey, 2024 , and China produces more than half of the world’s steel.
Beyond steel , manganese is vital in nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) and lithium-manganese oxide (LMO) batteries, technologies central to China’s EV sector. Ensuring steady, high-grade supplies has therefore become essential to Beijing’s industrial strategy.
Gabon is the world’s second-largest producer of manganese, with reserves estimated at 250 million tonnes, concentrated in the Moanda region. Its ore, often exceeding 46% manganese content, is among the highest quality globally.
Until now, Gabon largely exported raw ore, with limited local processing. But that model is changing as Libreville has announced a ban on raw manganese exports from 2029, requiring foreign companies to invest in domestic processing. Mines Minister Gilles Nembé has described the policy as a step to make Gabon “a competitive industrial hub in the mining sector.”
In September, a delegation of seven Chinese firms met Gabonese authorities to propose building an integrated industrial zone for manganese processing. Companies such as Inner Mongolia Xinchuan Metallurgy pledged to transfer smelting technology and establish facilities for alloys and battery-grade products. This approach goes beyond mining, embedding China deeper into Gabon’s value chain.
China’s push comes amid rising competition from Japanese investors, who also signalled plans in July 2025 to invest in Gabon’s processing industry, seeking to secure supplies for steelmaking and EV technologies while diversifying away from Chinese dominance.
For Gabon, these rival bids offer leverage with foreign competition accelerating investment, expanding job creation, and boosting value-added industries. For China, securing processed manganese in Gabon reduces reliance on volatile global markets while tightening control over critical mineral supply chains.
As the 2029 export ban nears, Gabon’s manganese could become a flashpoint in the global race for battery metals, shaping Africa ’s role in the green energy transition and testing how far China’s industrial strategy can reach.
