Eramet positions for Gabon processing push before 2029 manganese ore export ban

Gabon sets a deadline for local processing

Eramet is positioning itself for a larger role in manganese processing in Gabon as the government prepares to prohibit exports of unprocessed ore. Agence Ecofin reported that the French mining group has appointed a manager specifically responsible for local processing. The move gives the company an internal focal point for a policy change that will directly affect its mining, logistics and metallurgical operations in the country.

Gabon intends to introduce the ban on January 1, 2029. The government presents the measure as part of its effort to strengthen the national industrial base and retain more value from mineral production. Gabon is the world’s second-largest manganese producer, making the policy relevant not only to domestic industry but also to steelmakers and ore buyers that depend on internationally traded Gabonese material.

Eramet has extensive exposure through Comilog

Eramet has operated in Gabon for more than 30 years and is the main co-shareholder in Comilog. According to Le Monde, Comilog accounts for 90% of the country’s manganese production through the Moanda mines. The publication describes those mines as the largest in the world. This concentration means that the practical implementation of the export ban will depend heavily on the investment decisions and operating plans of Eramet and Comilog.

The group is also exposed through Setrag, its railway subsidiary, which operates the Trans-Gabon Railway used to move mineral production across the country. In a June 2, 2025 statement, Eramet said Comilog and Setrag sustain 10,460 Gabonese jobs. The company said it wanted to preserve their position as an internationally significant supplier of manganese to the global steel industry while maintaining the sustainability of its mining and metals activities.

Capacity and infrastructure become the central tests

The ban does not end Gabon’s ability to serve foreign markets, but it changes the form in which manganese can leave the country. Ore that is currently exported without domestic transformation would need to pass through local facilities before shipment. That creates an opening for processing plants and related services, while raising questions about electricity supply, industrial costs, railway performance and port capacity. Agence Ecofin noted that the success of the policy will depend on operators mobilising investment and on the state providing a competitive environment for energy and infrastructure.

Manganese remains an essential input for alloys, particularly steel, and is increasingly used in electric-vehicle batteries, according to Le Monde. Buyers therefore need to assess whether Gabon’s transition can preserve reliable supply while processing capacity is expanded. Producers and investors must determine which products can be made competitively inside the country and how projects will be financed and completed before the deadline.

Eramet has said it recognises the government’s industrial ambition and will work with the authorities to identify new opportunities. Its appointment of a manager dedicated to local transformation indicates that preparation is moving into the company’s operating structure. The decisive issues will be the scale and timing of new capacity, the rules defining sufficiently processed manganese and the ability of infrastructure to support higher-value output by 2029.