The second day of the Critical Minerals Africa (CMA) Summit featured a Ministerial Forum where mining ministers from Eswatini, Malawi, Argentina and representatives from Tanzania outlined key initiatives aimed at advancing their respective mining sectors and capitalizing on the growing demand for critical minerals.
Eswatini’s strategic focus on critical minerals
HRH Prince Lonkhokhela, Minister of Natural Resources and Energy for the Kingdom of Eswatini, emphasized that mining plays a crucial role in the country’s economic growth. He highlighted the results of a recent high-resolution aerial survey, which identified significant mineral deposits, including copper, nickel, cobalt, lithium and tantalum in various regions of Eswatini. The country is currently developing a Critical Minerals Strategy in collaboration with the Commonwealth Group, expected to be finalized by mid-2025.
Prince Lonkhokhela also noted Eswatini’s efforts to revise its mining regulations to align with neighboring countries such as Mozambique and South Africa, promoting regional cooperation, knowledge-sharing and the pooling of resources for value addition in the mining sector.
Malawi’s vision for mining and economic diversification
Monica Chang’anamuno, Minister of Mining for Malawi, stressed the importance of aligning Africa with the global conversation on critical minerals and the energy transition. She highlighted Malawi’s commitment to diversifying its agriculture-dependent economy through its Agriculture, Tourism and Mining Strategy, with critical minerals positioned as a key driver of growth.
Chang’anamuno also showcased several major lithium and rare earth projects in Malawi, including the Kasongo rare earth project, which provides employment for 1,200 people and is expected to employ up to 10,000 over its lifespan. Malawi has also partnered with Korean firms and Rio Tinto in discovering one of the world’s largest lithium deposits. The country plans to double its energy production to 1,000 MW by next year, with 232 MW dedicated to supporting mining activities.
Argentina’s lithium potential and investment opportunities
Maria Alejandra Vlek, Minister of Economic and Commercial Affairs at the Embassy of Argentina in South Africa, highlighted the country’s vast lithium potential, noting that Argentina holds 22% of the world’s lithium resources. Vlek pointed out that Argentina is currently overseeing 180 critical mineral projects, including 50 lithium projects, with one notable $800 million lithium facility in the works. Argentina is keen to leverage investment and expertise from African mining countries, including South Africa, to further develop its lithium sector.
Tanzania’s commitment to sustainable mining
Venace Mwasse, Director of Tanzania’s State Mining Corporation, spoke about the country’s commitment to reducing emissions through responsible critical mineral production, ensuring that mining benefits local communities. He shared that only 16% of Tanzania’s land has been surveyed for mineral deposits, but the government plans to increase this to 50% as part of its Vision 2030 Strategy.
The discussion at the CMA Summit underscored the growing role of African countries in the global mining landscape, with a particular focus on critical minerals essential for the transition to clean energy and the manufacturing of electric vehicles. The shared goals of sustainability, economic growth and regional cooperation were central themes across the various countries represented at the forum.
