Stakeholders in the mining sector are warming up for the forthcoming African Mining Week (AMW) 2025 in Cape Town.

The sector in Africa is believed to be capable of generating $2 billion in additional revenue and also create up to 3.8 million jobs by 2030. The 2025 AMW theme is “From Extraction to Beneficiation: Unlocking Africa’s Mineral Wealth.”

The event will highlight initiatives aimed at enhancing Africa’s mineral value chains and promoting local processing to drive economic growth.

As Africa’s premier mining platform, AMW 2025 will convene global investors, policymakers and industry leaders to explore opportunities in Africa’s midstream and down – stream sectors, featuring panel discussions, project showcases and high-level deal signings.

Africa stands as a global leader in mining, home to unparalleled reserves of the minerals essential for shaping the future of technology and industry.

To harness this vast potential, African Mining Week will serve as a premier platform for exploring the full spectrum of mining opportunities across the continent.

In Zimbabwe, a ban on raw lithium exports implemented in 2022 has resulted in over $1 billion in processing investments.

Key projects include the Rwizi Rukuru refinery, Shengxiang Investments’ lithium processing facility in Goromonzi, and Chengxin Lithium’s Sabi Star Mine concentrator, all contributing to domestic processing capacity.

Similarly, Tanzania’s recent ban on raw lithium exports is driving international investment into value-added projects, while Nigeria has partnered with Avatar New Energy to establish a 400,000-ton-per-day lithium refinery launched in 2024.

Ghana has also made headway with the inauguration of the Royal Ghana Gold Refinery last August, which represents its first facility for refining gold for export and aligns with the nation’s strategy to drive economic growth through value addition.

Guinea is collaborating with Emirates Global Aluminium to establish an alumina refinery, leveraging its substantial mineral resources.