Overview

• Gabon will ban unprocessed manganese exports from January 1, 2029, granting the mining sector three years to prepare with support from a new public-private investment fund.
• Eramet, the main shareholder in Comilog, has pledged to safeguard 10,460 local jobs at its Moanda mine and transport arm, Setrag, and maintain dialogue with government officials.
• The government says the export ban aims to foster local refining, upskill Gabon’s workforce and boost tax revenues to alleviate persistent poverty.
• Manganese ranks among Gabon’s top export earners alongside oil and timber and is crucial for steel production and electric vehicle batteries.
• Eramet shares fell more than 5 percent in Paris following the announcement before recovering slightly, underscoring investor concern over the shift towards domestic processing.