About

Africa possess significant reserves of minerals that are critical to the global energy transition and the fight against climate change, including cobalt, graphite, lithium and copper.

Overview

Overview

Historically, Africa’s minerals have been exported with limited processing, with the majority of value addition taking place elsewhere. As demand for green minerals grows and global competition for access to these minerals intensifies, it is essential that Africa positions itself strategically in green technology value chains and ensures that it derives maximum benefit from its resources, while at the same time ensuring that the exploitation of these resources occurs in a socially and environmentally responsible manner.

The African Green Minerals Observatory (AGMO) has been established as an African Union initiative overseen by the African Mineral Development Centre. It seeks to support Africa’s ambition to derive greater benefit from its green mineral resources. In this sense, it is aligned with the ambitions of the Africa Mining Vision and seeks to support the implementation of the African Green Minerals Strategy.

The development and operation of the African Green Mineral Observatory is supported by the South African Institute of International Affairs.

Overview

Scope

In its first phase, AGMO focuses on seven countries (Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Madagascar, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe) and eight green mineral sectors (bauxite, cobalt, copper, graphite, lithium, manganese, nickel and rare earth minerals).

Frequently asked
questions

Data sources frequently provide varying figures on mineral production and mineral reserves. In most cases, the Observatory uses data from the US Geological Service, which generally makes data three years from present (in 2024, data is provided from 2021). Where more recent data is reported, the Observatory will provide links to the source. While efforts are made to cite credible sources, the Observatory currently does not have the capacity to verify source material.

Yes, it is envisioned that more country and mineral profiles will be added to the Observatory in subsequent phases. It is recognized that the initial set of country profiles focus primarily (though not exclusively) on Southern Africa. There will thus be an emphasis on including more states from other regions in subsequent phases. Selection of mineral profiles will be informed by the African Green Minerals Strategy, as well as green/strategic mineral lists compiled by African states and regional institutions.

Data from the Observatory is gathered from a variety of sources, the vast majority of which are available online. Users are encouraged to access and cite original data sources.

The Observatory is a collaborative initiative between the African Union’s African Mineral Development Centre and the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA). Any inaccuracies or data gaps should be brought to the attention of SAIIA Programme Head Alex Benkenstein.