Longonjo: Angola’s strategic critical minerals asset

Angola

Alcídio José, chairman of Ozango Minerais, talks to The Energy Year about how global dynamics around rare earths are bringing fresh investor interest to Angola's Longonjo project and creating new offtake opportunities.

Ozango Minerais is an Angola Sovereign Fund subsidiary that is developing the Longonjo Rare Earth Refinery Project in Huambo.

• Rare earth supply chains are becoming a geopolitical priority. Interest in non-Chinese sources of magnet metals is rising as the US and European economies seek more secure supply chains for renewables and defence technologies.
• The Lobito Corridor is strengthening Angola’s position in global supply chains by linking mineral projects to Atlantic export routes and improving access to US and European markets.
• Angola offers potentially significant mineral opportunities, but misperceptions and a limited understanding of local operating conditions hinder the development decisions of international investors.

How has the Longonjo Rare Earth Refinery Project evolved in the past year?
The Longonjo rare earth refinery and mining project has evolved quite significantly over the past 18 months, moving from a largely financing-and-planning phase into construction and expansion. The project is strategically important because it aims to become one of the few major non-Chinese rare earth supply chains for magnet metals such as neodymium and praseodymium, which are critical for EVs [electric vehicles], wind turbines, and defence technologies.
In early 2025, the project secured a major financing package of roughly USD 268 million, allowing Phase 1 construction to proceed. Over 2025 and 2026, the project continued attracting new capital, with USD 100 million announced in late 2025 and approximately USD 165 million in strategic investment commitments in 2026.
The funding will largely come through the Absa Bank of South Africa and strategic investors. With this development, Ozango managed to accelerate work activities on the site. Processing and mine infrastructure are being built, and commissioning remains scheduled for 2027.
One of the most important changes is the project’s growing geopolitical relevance. It is closely tied to the Lobito Corridor, which has become a major Western-backed infrastructure initiative to diversify critical mineral supply chains away from China. The Longonjo site benefits from direct rail access to the Port of Lobito and Atlantic routes to export to the US and Europe.
Current reserves support more than 20 years of mine life at a production capacity of 20,000 tonnes of MREC [mixed rare earth carbonate], and we are discussing the possibility of scaling up resources significantly. In parallel, we will increase emphasis on Angola-based processing and US-linked magnet supply chains.

Have these developments impacted your offtake agreements and market positioning?
We were initially satisfied with our offtake agreements with customers in Japan and Germany. However, the market dynamics are evolving. Appetite for rare earths is increasing in the US, and we have aligned our offtake portfolio with this shift through US-based and US-oriented customers.
The broader context is important, and the efforts we are seeing in countries around the world to establish supply chains for critical minerals outside of China are beneficial for our original strategy, which was to develop an independent supply chain focused on Europe and the US.
The recent involvement of US investors and the greater attention we are receiving from the market are a demonstration that Longonjo is now perceived not only as a mining development but as a strategic supply chain initiative. Its value is further reinforced by the Lobito Corridor and other infrastructure developments that facilitate the participation of stakeholders from Europe and the US. We also need to acknowledge the support of our local and central governments, which have been fully supportive and co-operative.

What structural obstacles remain for the success of the Longonjo project and other mining developments in Angola?
The Longonjo project is just the beginning of a bigger story about Angola’s mining sector. The country has significant untapped potential, with recent resource mapping initiatives confirming that there are many opportunities still to be developed.
One of the key challenges we have encountered is information asymmetry. Many investors have limited knowledge of Angola, particularly about its infrastructure and operational realities, which gives rise to misperceptions that can delay investment decisions, even when the fundamentals are strong.
We encourage investors to be more proactive and engage directly with domestic operators to understand the context on the ground and assess real risks rather than perceived ones.
The geology, the economics and the technical aspects of mining in Angola are clear. Longonjo is financially robust and can serve as an example of what is possible in Angola. We see it as a catalyst that will help position the country on the global mining map and open the door for further investment.

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