Orion CMC Nears African Critical Minerals Deals
Orion Critical Mineral Consortium is advancing toward two separate investments designed to secure African copper, cobalt, and nickel for Western electric and battery supply chains, La Tribune reported. The U.S.-backed consortium is finalizing terms to acquire a 40 percent stake in two Congolese mining operations from Glencore alongside parallel discussions for a stake in the Kabanga nickel project in Tanzania.
Orion Resource Partners Targets Congolese Copper and Cobalt Assets
Negotiations regarding Glencore’s operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo have reached their final phases, according to Oskar Lewnowski, head of Orion Resource Partners. The transactions involve Mutanda Mining and Kamoto Copper Company, two major producers in the region’s rich copper belt. Under a non-binding protocol outlined in February, Glencore would retain operational control of both sites while Orion CMC secures the right to direct a proportional share of the output toward buyers designated by the United States.
Glencore and the consortium are also exploring possibilities to expand existing production and acquire additional assets across the African copper belt.
Expanding into Tanzanian Nickel Development
In Tanzania, mining company Lifezone Metals confirmed advanced discussions regarding Orion’s proposed capital entry into the Kabanga nickel project. The venture would grant the consortium access to future production streams of nickel alongside associated copper and cobalt. Lifezone has not disclosed the specific monetary value or the exact equity percentage under negotiation.
Securing an equity stake in Kabanga does not immediately trigger mine construction. Lifezone must still close vital funding rounds and complete a revised framework agreement with the Tanzanian state. In July, the company postponed its final investment decision to the first quarter of 2027, noting that the timeline remains contingent on lenders evaluating the modified state agreement.
A State-Backed Strategy Against Market Monopolies
Launched in October 2025, Orion CMC pools capital from Orion Resource Partners, the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), and the Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund ADQ. The partners committed an initial 1.8 billion dollars with a long-term goal of reaching 5 billion dollars. The consortium focuses on operational or near-production mines rather than early-stage exploration projects that often demand over a decade of development.
When the DFC launched the initiative, the agency stated its intent to counter funding deficits that previously allowed competitors to dominate critical mineral markets. Lewnowski told Bloomberg Television that the strategy aims to dismantle monopolistic supply chains controlled by a single nation. Beyond Congo and Tanzania, the consortium evaluates other jurisdictions across Africa, which holds 30 percent of the world’s critical mineral reserves, ranging from Zambian copper deposits to rare earth elements in Malawi.