Publication: Mineral Resources of Africa
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2025-10-14
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2025-10-15
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This publication is intended to provide a wider audience with the opportunity to access updated information on 1,888 significant mineral deposits located in Africa. It fills a critical information gap on the continent’s current and potential future mineral endowment—including for battery minerals—for mining industry professionals, governments and academia. It is also intended to support African governments with information to identify new opportunities and formulate effective exploration strategies to enable exploration for minerals in demand for the low-carbon economy. The publication outlines metallogenic epochs and provinces underpinning the geological assemblages for the continent of Africa. It then overlaps the associated types of mineral deposits with their sizes, mineral content (for both primary and byproducts), and subregional and country-specific distribution. It compares Africa and its five subregions to the world in terms of mineral endowment, exploration expenditure and discovery costs. The mineral deposits are categorized into four tiers based on their size, quality of resources and potential to become profitable, and they are broadly assessed for their potential gross mine value. This publication considers why some known large and potentially valuable deposits—particularly of bulk materials—are still undeveloped, when this would not be the case in a high-income country context, and possible circumstances and strategies whereby their exploitation may be accelerated. The authors propose possible future exploration strategies and opportunities based on broad regional geological considerations to unlock Africa’s true potential for mining and metals. Further exploration will enable Africa’s supply of critical mineral resources needed for the energy transition and the sustainable economic and social betterment of its people.
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“Guj, Pietro; Schodde, Richard; Bocoum, Boubacar; Cust, James. 2025. Mineral Resources of Africa. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/43848 License: CC BY-NC 3.0 IGO.”
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