(Ecofin Agency) - Burundi became Africa’s only rare earths producer in 2017. Uganda and Angola could join it, consequently making the continent compete with China which currently dominates this market.

Ionic Rare Earths has finished building and commissioned its Makuutu rare earths project in Uganda, the country’s first rare earth mine. The Australian firm announced the news on March 7th, adding that it expects to begin production in 2026.

According to a feasibility study published in 2022, the Makuutu project has the potential to produce 40,090 tonnes of rare earth oxide over 35 years, helping to strengthen Africa's position in rare earth supply. Despite the opening of the Gakara mine in Burundi in 2017, Africa still plays a minor role in a global market dominated by China. With Makuutu, Uganda joins countries that compete against China in this market. These include European countries and the U.S. 

“We are delighted to announce the successful completion of our Demonstration Plant Phase 1 commissioning [...]. This work is essential to validating our mine development plan and generating MREC samples for off-take discussions with potential partners over the next few months," commented Tim Harrison, CEO of Ionic.

Rare earth elements have long been used in various technologies, especially electronics, but have gained increasing interest in recent years due to the energy transition. Electric vehicles and wind energy production drive the current demand for rare earths. Besides Uganda, other African countries positioning themselves to benefit from this demand include Angola, Tanzania, and South Africa.

Emiliano Tossou