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Zambia risks missing manganese demand as Lobito corridor stays copper-focused
An op-ed argues the Lobito Corridor is optimized for copper and cobalt, while manganese is positioned to surge in advanced energy storage technologies.
Mining.com argues Zambia’s critical-mineral strategy, centered on the Lobito Corridor, could repeat the “robbing Peter to pay Paul” dynamic by prioritizing one mineral’s logistics over another. The corridor is described as a major energy transition infrastructure project backed by US, EU, and G7 partners, intended to move copper and cobalt supplies from Central Africa to Angola’s Atlantic coast.
The piece says policymakers have hyper-focused the corridor on copper supply lines, potentially leaving a “quiet giant” stranded as manganese demand expands. It points to manganese’s growing role beyond traditional uses, citing aerospace, automotive, and offshore energy equipment, and says its biggest growth is tied to advanced energy storage.
Mining.com highlights technology momentum from China, including the commissioning of a 500 MW/1,000 MWh gigawatt-hour-scale supercapacitor-battery hybrid storage facility, as an early signal that manganese will become more central to energy transition technologies. The op-ed also argues the corridor’s route mirrors copper-heavy geology, linking copper hubs in northwestern Zambia and southern DRC to the Port of Lobito, which could limit its fit for manganese infrastructure needs.
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