Keypoints:
- $1.4m grant for Kazozu mine study
- Strengthens US critical mineral supply
- Counters China’s regional dominance
THE United States has stepped up efforts to diversify global mineral supplies, awarding a $1.4 million grant to support the expansion of a copper and cobalt facility in Zambia’s North-Western province.
The US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) announced mid-September that the grant will fund a feasibility study for Metalex Africa, a subsidiary of US-based Metalex Commodities, to assess scaling up production at the Kazozu mine. The study aims to determine whether output can rise by as much as 25,000 additional metric tonnes of copper and cobalt concentrates annually.
Strengthening supply chains
USTDA acting director Thomas R Hardy said the project would help US industries secure critical inputs while creating opportunities for American firms to supply equipment, materials and expertise for the expansion.
‘USTDA’s partnership with Metalex will help ensure that US industries can reliably access the inputs they need to remain secure, competitive and prepared to meet the challenges of the future,’ Hardy said. ‘By leveraging US technology and expertise, this project will help expand Zambia’s mining sector, advancing responsible resource development to benefit both our nations.’
Metalex chief executive Ayo Sopitan welcomed the grant as a milestone, noting it would enable the company to refine project phases and test the viability of increasing production. The venture is a joint project with Zambian partner Terra Metals.
Part of a wider US strategy
The investment supports Washington’s broader plan to build the Lobito Corridor, a US-backed transport and trade network linking Angola, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). At its core is a 1,700-kilometre railway from Angola’s Atlantic port of Lobito to the DRC mining hub of Kolwezi, with an extension planned into Zambia’s Copperbelt province.
The corridor is presented as a strategic alternative to Chinese-financed infrastructure in Africa. China remains the dominant force in the region’s mining sector, controlling most processing and refining capacity. Its presence continues to grow, highlighted by JCHX Mining’s recent purchase of an 80 percent stake in Zambia’s Lubambe copper mine.
Broader US investment
US support for the corridor extends beyond USTDA. During President Biden’s administration, the US International Development Finance Corporation committed about $550 million for railway and port upgrades, while the Millennium Challenge Corporation is funding rural road and agriculture projects in Zambia.
US-based KoBold Metals, backed by investors including Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos, has also pledged to anchor its Mingomba copper and cobalt project on the Lobito railway, reinforcing US interest in the region’s critical minerals.
The combined initiatives underscore Washington’s determination to reduce reliance on Chinese-controlled mineral supply chains and bolster America’s industrial resilience.
