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MineralsData

Gabon plans $2bn rare earth project with New Energy Metals, ENFI

Mabounié deposit development targets 2027 construction start with Abu Dhabi and Beijing partners.

Mining site with excavation equipment and processing facilities in forested terrainPhotograph by Tom Fisk on Pexels

Gabon has outlined a $2 billion rare earth and niobium mining project at the Mabounié deposit, southeast of Libreville, with Abu Dhabi-based New Energy Metals and Beijing-based engineering firm ENFI. Construction is targeted to begin in 2027, according to a presidency statement.

Project Structure and Partners#

New Energy Metals is developing the deposit with engineering support from ENFI. The project was announced during a visit by Gabon's president to China last week. The Mabounié deposit has been stalled for years and the new investment is intended to bring it into production. Niobium is used to strengthen steel. New Energy Metals operates from Abu Dhabi while ENFI is a Chinese engineering group based in Beijing. The two companies will work together on the development and construction phases.

Rare Earth and Niobium Output#

The deposit contains rare earth elements and niobium. Rare earths are used in magnets, batteries and electronics. The $2 billion figure covers development and processing infrastructure. No production volume targets or timeline beyond the 2027 construction start were disclosed in the presidency statement. The Mabounié site is located southeast of Libreville, the capital. The deposit has remained undeveloped despite previous exploration work.

Financing and Development Timeline#

The project structure and financing arrangements were not detailed in the announcement. The statement followed agreements between Gabon and China to strengthen ties during the presidential visit. The 2027 construction start date was confirmed by the presidency. No completion date or commissioning timeline was given. The $2 billion investment will fund mine development and processing facilities at the site.

Market Context for Critical Minerals#

China processes the majority of many critical minerals globally. Demand for rare earths and battery metals is rising as energy and technology sectors expand. US, European and Gulf investors are seeking access to African mineral resources. The Mabounié project adds to Gabon's mineral development pipeline alongside its established manganese and iron ore sectors. The shift to cleaner energy and new technologies is driving investment in critical mineral deposits across Africa.

Sources2 sources across 2 domains

  1. bloomberg.comBloomberg$2 billion project value, New Energy Metals and ENFI as partners, Mabounié deposit location
  2. semafor.comSemafor2027 construction start target, announcement during presidential visit to China, niobium use in steel strengthening, rare earth uses in magnets and batteries, China's dominance in critical mineral processing

Each source above carries the claim it supports. Links open the publisher's own page; their text is not reproduced here beyond what the claim requires, and their rights remain theirs.

Filed undergabonrare earthniobiumnew energy metalsenfimabounié

Equity Arabia is published by Arabian Media Network. Pieces are produced by the Minerals to Capital Desk with AI-assisted synthesis of the cited sources and automated verification against the network's editorial policy. Every piece carries a desk rather than a reporter. Corrections are recorded on the piece and on the corrections page.